John Lucas (Cathedrals)

 

Lyrics

I have dust on my boots of a thousand cathedrals

And I have taken my place with bended knees

And I have raised my voice with a multitude of angels

Whose nest are treasured by your trees

Oh, the music of your fingers

Oh, the heartbeat of your lands

Oh, the places where you linger

Oh, the beauty of your hands

And I have lit my candle in the folds of your forests

A spark of light amongst the fires of the night

And I have risen with the dawn and the thurible of gladness

Amongst the mist and the dew of your delight

Oh, the music of your fingers

Oh, the heartbeat of your lands

Oh, the places where you linger

Oh, the beauty of your hands

You are the one who makes my paths straight

You are the one who leads me to the waters 

And as I've cupped my hands 

I know, I know I've seen your face

For you've touched my eyes with waterfalls

You've touched my eyes with earth

You've led me home by moonlight

And you've whispered what I'm worth

You are the one that leads me to the waters

You are the one who leads me home

You lead me home

Discussion:

John Lucas was a breath of fresh air in my search for a new way to approach God and worshipping Him.  Many of his songs will most likely make it to this site. 

Cathedrals begins with a feint. The imagery brought up in the first three lines leads the reader/listener to believe the protagonist is a traveler, seeking out places built and devoted to God, but the last line of the first verse aims closer to the heart of the song. The "angels" that are singing God's presence turn out to be birds and it is the natural world that is the place where God's presence is met. The chorus then supports that, extolling the beauty of the natural world around us and attributing all of that to God. 

The second stanza continues with the first, beautifully placing the protagonist in the heart of God's masterwork. the protagonist is made small, a candle in the forest, one small spark in the limitless beauty of God's work. Still, even in his smallness, Lucas is saying that he was there, present, and that that has meaning. Standing in the presence of greatness is powerful even if that greatness isn't attributed to yourself. The stanza ends by directly spiritualizing the natural world, "the dew of Your delight." God is the world directly and is also directly in the world as it magnifies Him.  

Another chorus and we are led to the bridge. The protagonist drinks in the glory of God, and in doing so believes he has seen the face of God. I do like here how Lucas, by repeating the words "I know" breaks the statement with a little doubt... as if the protagonist was trying to convince himself that it was true. The bridge continues to state that God is here, directly present in the natural world and that by listening and seeing we are told our own worth in God's eyes. 

The song ends by reinforcing that by allowing ourselves to see God here, by recognizing him in the magnificence of His creation, we will find ourselves home, not in our own home, but in the home of our Father, seated in the beauty of His love and purpose, the cradle of His creation. 

I love this about my faith. I will give that I am something of a modern transcendentalist... so this idea of God's presence in nature as opposed to the things we build is entirely appealing to me, but it is also seeded throughout the Bible. This is a common subject of the psalmists and although not commonly found in current worship music, has major footing historically in doctrine.