Lyric discussion by Tonino 

Cover art for Avalanche lyrics by Leonard Cohen

To understand this lyric you have to get inside of the mind of LC. What did He knew about God. What was His take on Christ. As i listened this song when I was 18 i was puzzled and intrigued by the lyrics, the sinister voice, the musical composition, yet I couldn’t make a lot of sense of the lyric. At age 31 i studied the bible intensively and my life completely changed. Holy Spirit taught me, experiencing Gods presence, experiencing a lot of miracles, understanding God’s logic, etc. So… 40 years later, with renewed insight, Avalanche came to my mind. I listened and finally could master it.

I stepped into an avalanche It covered up my soul (A realisation that mankind lost the image and likeness of God in Adams fall) When I am not this hunchback that you see I sleep beneath the golden hill (Jesus looked defeated, yet conquered death, and restores us by His Spirit to Gen 1:27: His image His likeness. He is at rest beneath the Golden hill and so are we.) You who wish to conquer pain You must learn, learn to serve me well (A wrong assumption that God needs/wants to be served to bless. It is the other way round. In Christ we are restored to divine origin).

[Verse 2] You strike my side by accident As you go down for your gold (May point to the spearstrike afflicted on Jesus, “gold” came out, the once and for all perfect sacrifice was made) The cripple here that you clothe and feed Is neither starved nor cold (Own works to make you feel good, do not make you righteous and are often done just to be noticed) He does not ask for your company Not at the center, the center of the world (A wrong assumption that God doesn’t need your company. It is the other way round. After all: “It pleases the Father to give you the Kingdom, Holy Spirit, Divine nature back”.

[Verse 3] When I am on a pedestal You did not raise me there (Jesus is the pedestal, he need not be raised by our efforts)) Your laws do not compel me To kneel grotesque and bare (Correct insight. God doesn’t want to be glorified by man. He thrives in glorifying you, His creation.) I myself am the pedestal For this ugly hump at which you stare (Christ is the pedestal, even though He may not have the appearance of almighty God, He is God manifesting in human form).

[Verse 4] You who wish to conquer pain You must learn what makes me kind (Wrong assumption. God is kind. Always. That’s why he stooped down in Christ to restore us back to origin: 2 Cor 3:18. So we don’t learn what makes Him kind, we discover that He is kind wich is the biggest “painrelief”for you-manity) The crumbs of love that you offer me They're the crumbs I've left behind (Bears witness to the incomplete view LC had on Gods goodness revealed through Christ). Your pain is no credential here It's just the shadow, shadow of my wound (Again, limited insight. God cares highly for mankind. Considering the boisterous love expressds by Jesus hanging on a cross to give us back the original Zoe-life!) You might also like Sweet Lana Del Rey (You might as well, she is cute) Kintsugi (The art of brokenness. Limited insight. Not applicable on God. God restores you from the brokenness of mankinds fall. No need to embrace past scars. Zoe-life, the Kingdom has come) Lana Del Rey Paris, Texas Lana Del Rey [Verse 5] I have begun to long for you I who have no greed I have begun to ask for you I who have no need (True. God longs to share His Kingdom, Zoe-life back to you-manity) You say you've gone away from me But I can feel you when you breathe (Separation from God is an illusion. He is here right now working in the invisible to regenerate Gen 1:27 in us).

[Verse 6] Do not dress in those rags for me I know you are not poor (False humility doesn’t make you pious. No need to either. You are loved by God. A receptor of His Holy Spirit). And don't love me quite so fiercely now When you know that you are not sure (Again. No need to exaggerate your love for God, trying to please Him or trying to get noticed. Yet we may be very sure in loving God once we understand what He has done for you-manity.)
It is your turn, beloved It is your flesh that I wear (Epic truth! God dwells within you. When we change by His Spirit we become more and more an expression of our true self: The image an likeness of God. That would be Christlikeness. For Christ is the exact image of the invisible God… The image we were created after and…. Are being restored to by His life, words, prefect sacrifice, His Spirit. “Holy Spirit brings forth after His own kind”.)