In Exile

To my fellow Thrice fans, the first time I heard these lyrics, I knew exactly what it was talking about because I read the bible, and can tell you Dustin Kensrue is a Christian, and no, he's not religious. Religion is just man's attempt to get to heaven apart from Christ. (Dustin doesn't come right out and say that he's a Christian, and I think it's because he wants to appeal to all audiences, and still use his music as his ministry to share the Word. Praise the Lord!)

So check out these scriptures that I've posted and you'll see how the song relates to them:

The first verse is from Philippians 3:20 and 1 Corinthians 13:12. Here's the verse, and then the scripture beneath it.

I am an exile, a sojourner A citizen of some other place All I've seen is just a glimmer in just a shadowy mirror But I know one day we'll see face to face

Philippian 3:20 "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,"

1 Corinthians 13:12 "Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity."

Here's the next verses correspond with these scriptures: I am a nomad, a wanderer I have nowhere to lay my head down There's no point in putting roots to deep when I'm moving on Not settling for this unsettling town

Luke 9:58 "And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

My heart is filled with songs of forever A city that endures, where all is made new And no I don't belong here I'll never call this place my home I'm just passing through

I am a pilgrim, a voyager I won't rest until my lips touch the shore Of the land that I've been longing for as long as I've lived Where there'll be no pain or tears anymore

1 Peter 2:11 "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."

Acts 7:6 "And God spoke to this effect–that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others"

John 15:9 "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world"

Revelation 21:4 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

In my opinon..... This song is about life on earth and how nothing is guaranteed or permanent. How its best not to get too involved due to this just being a path on the road to a greater/better place. i.e. heaven.

"But i know one day we'll see face to face" "A city that endures, where all is made new" "I won't rest until my lips touch the shore" "Of the land that I've been longing for as long as I've lived" "Where there'll be no pain or tears anymore"

Sounds like heaven to me. By the way i got to meet these guys at Warped Tour 2009 and they are freaking AMAZING! Favorite band for near 5 years now and i don't think it will ever change.

-BEGGARS IS FREAKING AMAZING! Definitely more mellow than previous albums but the lyricism flows so well with the music its ridonculous.

This song is about heaven, drawing heavily upon the Bible and St. Augustine's "City of God."

"I am an exile, a sojourner A citizen of some other place."

In the opening chapter of "City of God", Augustine mentions the Christian as a sojourning stranger in the midst of the ungodly.

"All I've seen is just a glimmer in just a shadowy mirror But I know one day we'll see face to face."

This is a reference to Cor. 13:12: " For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."

"I am a nomad, a wanderer I have nowhere to lay my head down There's no point in putting roots to deep when I'm moving on Not settling for this unsettling town"

This is just a reiteration of the first two lines. The last line - "Not settling for this unsettling town" - is a stroke of genius, though, referring to the fallen world.

"My heart is filled with songs of forever A city that endures, where all is made new"

The city of God, according to Augustine, is eternal, in contrast with the city of the world, which is temporal.

"And no I don't belong here I'll never call this place my home I'm just passing through"

John 18: The Christian is in the world, but not of the world.

"I am a pilgrim, a voyager I won't rest until my lips touch the shore Of the land that I've been longing for as long as I've lived Where there'll be no pain or tears anymore"

This is classic Christian eschatology - it ends on a note of hope and salvation.

Phew.

OK. It seems pretty obvious to me what this song is talking about. Dustin reads a lot of christian philosophy. We've seen references to Kierkegaard in other songs (mesenger) and arguably others.

This song is about or inspired by St.Augustine's " The City of God".

In the City of God, Augustine talk about being a citizen of the city of man, or citizen of the city of God. The citizen of the City of God has higher priorities than to listen and abide by the state and mundane trivilaities that go with it. His dedication is in the city of God- that of the eternal realm.in a sense he is talking about an afterlife; it's implied. But the point is that his mission and service is that of God and Jesus Christ rather than what we are so often occupied with these days. st. Augustine is a neo-platonist, so another way to look at this is by looking at Socrates- how he was able to renounce to everything, money, a home, and eventually life. He was a citizen of some other place.The eternal realm is the truth; the truth of God. The city of God is in that "realm".

"songs of forever" "city that endures, where all is made new" (forgiveness , love, hope; these are the prime values of the city of God)

Amazing song. Amazing lyrics.

i feel this song is night driving if it had lyrics

WTF!!! this song is completely about heaven. read the lyrics through several times hes basically saying that he's only on earth for a short while until he goes to heaven where there is no pain or sorrow. he's just passing through as he says though im no christian i love how dustin writes so passionately about the bible and his beliefs.

I think this song is definitely about going to heaven, but he's singing about the journey of life. He's just going through it until he reaches heaven. "I know i dont belong here i'll never call this place my home, i'm just passing through" It's makes sense to think it's about his life on the road, but the lyrics are much deeper if you look closely. Amazing song.

I'm not a Christian, but I am spiritual and this song still completely fits. It's about existence beyond the physical realm, and I definitely perceive that. I don't think in terms of "Heaven", "God", etc. but still can completely relate to this song.

This song is definitely about an afterlife. I love this album.

ummmmm doesnt matter what its about. music is music and you should just enjoy it lol. thrice is the most magnificent band ever no questions. this song just proves how well they can mix their own work in a new way. brava thrice