Five Candles (You Were There) Lyrics

Lyric discussion by japhy 

Cover art for Five Candles (You Were There) lyrics by Jars of Clay

This sounds like a song about a five-year-old's birthday with parents that are separated ("You were there when I needed you" but "You were never here"). The empty boxes, the things he didn't ask for, closing the eyes, making a wish... all of this sounds like a birthday. The child turns to God to pray that the problems (the excuses and what-not) will be fixed somehow.