Mumford and Sons - The Cave

It's empty in the valley of your heart
The sun it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears and all the
faults you've left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater you see
But I have seen the same I know the
shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

'Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I'll take mine
Now let me at the truth which will
refresh my broken mind

So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears
And know my call despite my faults and
despite my growing fears

But I will hold on hope
And i won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence when
you know the maker's land

So make you're siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

'Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be

And I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So, second song on the album, second blog post about Mumford and Sons and their interesting lyrics.
The opening verses speak poetically of someone facing up to shame and feeling empty inside because of it. But they are walking away from it, somewhere. There is real barren feel to the situation, no food, defeat, shame, emptiness, fears and faults left behind.

Then the chorus speaks of hope and the way the music changes and builds brings that feeling too. Holding onto hope, finding strength in pain, changing ways and waiting for the calling of their name, again, presuming there has been a previous calling and the result of that was positive.

The middle verses again have interesting contrasts, in the midst of sad images of widows and orphans there are tears shed. Despite there being a mind that is broken, the hope of a broken mind being refreshed by the truth is longed for. Not only that but a call is spoken of which is known despite failing and fears surrounding it.

Again the chorus kicks in and is rousing this time. Building on the last one.

The final set of verses speak of knowing dependence when you now the maker's land and needing freedom as well as how to live life the way it's meant to be.

These are not small or insignificant topics. Freedom, life, hope, shame, truth. I think there is much in this song that resonates with the way we experience life. Even if each verse, chorus or line does not directly apply to you as an individual I am sure that you see it around you in people you know.
Where do you find hope when you're empty, fearful and ashamed?
Where do you find strength in pain?
Do you long for truth, real truth that will inspire, refresh and renew your mind?
Do you want to now how life should be lived fully?
Have you experienced true freedom?

If none of those relate to you in any way, I question whether you are being honest with yourself.

The gospel has much to say about all of these things. We are beings created by a loving God. The Bible makes that very clear. Not only that but we are made in His image. Just like an inventor, God knows how His creation works best. So the longing in the song of wanting to know how to live life as it's meant to be can only come from God. He is the only one who can define that. And he doesn't leave us in the dark about it!

The truth that can refresh the broken mind needs to be truth which again can only be imparted from God. We can know true things, we can speak true things, but they cannot renew the mind and warm the heart and change a life in the way the truth of God can. Jesus said he was the truth (John 14) and the Spirit is also the Spirit of truth. We find truth in Jesus. Getting to know Him is the way to truth which will refresh the broken mind.

It is true that our minds are broken too. We are broken people, living in a broken world because we have all rebelled against God, not only in action, but firstly by not loving Him as we should. The problem is between us and God and it needs to be fixed. Only the God-man Jesus can fix it. There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy).

Jesus comes to bring life and life to the full (John 10). Jesus bring true freedom to those who trust in Him for forgiveness of sin, which in turn takes away shame, and offers real hope for the future because the future is secure in Him. The freedom He brings is freedom to live the way we were meant to live. True hope is found in a relationship with Jesus. When the song-writer speaks of changing his ways that is all well and good, but we all know if we have tried that, that we can't do it. We always fail. But, the wonderful truth for the Christian is that through a relationship with Jesus we have new life and the Spirit lives in us to change us. We then really can change our ways, because it's done in his strength.

I don't even have time to go into finding strength in pain because there is true contentment in Jesus. But there really is.

As always, any thoughts or criticisms are welcome!