I think this song can have many different meanings depending on the context you decide to interpret it with. On the one hand there are very strong Christian themes within the song seen with the beginning imagery of a devil tempting someone to leave "that man," who could with this interpretation could be Jesus or God. Then the song moves into an up tempo revolt against that temptation with the declaration that:
I'm not going to my grave,
I've got a lot to live for,
I'm not rocking in my faith
I've got a lot to hope for
So it becomes a song about triumphing over that temptation which was trying to rock that person's faith. And then at the end the song becomes almost a lullaby which invokes a sense of innocence and protection, sort of calling to that innocence inside all of us that is so evident when we are children but becomes buried when we are adults. This is further heightened by the very end of the song, which isn't included here, where the beginning verse of the children's game/song "Miss Mary Mac" is sung as the song ends.
I also think that the song can be viewed from a different viewpoint that doesn't necessarily have religious tones, it could be talking about a marriage or relationship and the struggles with temptation that are involved or even just struggles with temptation in every day life. I think that no matter they way one interprets the song though it is definitely uplifting and holds a really positive message about hope and faith and conquering obstacles.
I think this song can have many different meanings depending on the context you decide to interpret it with. On the one hand there are very strong Christian themes within the song seen with the beginning imagery of a devil tempting someone to leave "that man," who could with this interpretation could be Jesus or God. Then the song moves into an up tempo revolt against that temptation with the declaration that:
I'm not going to my grave, I've got a lot to live for, I'm not rocking in my faith I've got a lot to hope for
So it becomes a song about triumphing over that temptation which was trying to rock that person's faith. And then at the end the song becomes almost a lullaby which invokes a sense of innocence and protection, sort of calling to that innocence inside all of us that is so evident when we are children but becomes buried when we are adults. This is further heightened by the very end of the song, which isn't included here, where the beginning verse of the children's game/song "Miss Mary Mac" is sung as the song ends.
I also think that the song can be viewed from a different viewpoint that doesn't necessarily have religious tones, it could be talking about a marriage or relationship and the struggles with temptation that are involved or even just struggles with temptation in every day life. I think that no matter they way one interprets the song though it is definitely uplifting and holds a really positive message about hope and faith and conquering obstacles.