Crowder - Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains) Lyrics
Lyrics
Lift your head weary sinner, the river's just ahead
Down the path of forgiveness salvation's waiting there
You built a mighty fortress 10,000 burdens high
Love is here to lift you up, here to lift you high
If you're lost and wandering
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory open wide
All who've strayed and walked away, unspeakable things you've done
Fix your eyes on the mountain, let the past be dead and gone
Come all saints and sinners, you can't outrun God
Whatever you've done can't overcome the power of the blood
If you're lost and wandering
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory open wide
If you're lost and wrecked again
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory be open wide
[Tedashii:]
I ain't from here I'm H-town
But at this stage my place now
It's going down, no parachute
This so sick I need Theraflu
And there might be some they don't have a clue
These moments don't get no rarer dude
Cliqued up, 40 deep right there with you
Unashamed of the name, they can too
We turnt up, that's right
Mind blown no glass pipe
In my zone we pass tight
This right here could be my last night
I count that, I don't doubt that
Going in I shout that
You don't see it I'm about that
This world man, I'm out that
He paid it all, no green backs
With a bruised heel no sling back
The King's back
You've seen that
I mean that, redeem that
So we in here
Better get used to it
Who'll do it you do it
Otherwise you blew it
Flew through it
Trying to be fly
Gassed up, trying to touch the sky
We're blind though these blindfolds
We're rippin' off rickety bifocals
If you can't see, you can't be
Wasting my time by waiting
We're making it moved through
? Los Angeles
We're here to stay so let me hear you say
Here to stay so let me hear you say
Chain's off me I know that's fact
I love God I know that best
Christ saved me he ain't holding back
One more man, no holdin' back
If you're lost and wandering
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory open wide
If you're lost and wrecked again
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory be open wide
Let the gates of glory be open wide
Let the gates of glory be open wide
Video
Crowder - Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains) ft. Tedashii
Meaning & Inspiration
"Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)," released as part of Crowder's 2015 EP *Neon Porch Extravaganza (Live)*, is a powerful anthem of redemption and unwavering hope, drawing deeply from core Christian tenets. The song immediately confronts the listener with the reality of human brokenness and the weight of sin, addressing those who are “weary” and burdened. The central imagery of a “river just ahead” and “salvation’s waiting there” speaks to the cleansing power of God’s grace, a concept echoed in the Old Testament prophetic calls for repentance and renewed life, such as in Isaiah 55:1, which invites all who thirst to come to the waters. The lyrics further paint a picture of self-imposed isolation, describing how individuals build “mighty fortresses, 10,000 burdens high,” reflecting the human tendency to hide from God and others due to shame or guilt. This fortress is not impenetrable to divine love, however; the song assures that “Love is here to lift you up, here to lift you high,” a direct allusion to God’s immeasurable love demonstrated through Jesus Christ, as exemplified in John 3:16. The recurring invitation to come “stumbling in like a prodigal child” is a poignant reference to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, where the father’s unconditional embrace signifies God’s boundless forgiveness for those who return to Him, regardless of their past transgressions or how far they have strayed. The imagery of “walls start crumbling” and “gates of glory open wide” powerfully conveys the liberation and access to divine presence that comes with surrendering to God, mirroring the breaking down of barriers between humanity and God through Christ’s sacrifice.
The song boldly confronts the notion that one can outrun divine grace, stating, “You can’t outrun God.” This theological truth is woven throughout Scripture, reminding believers that God’s pursuit of humanity is relentless and His knowledge all-encompassing, as David notes in Psalm 139. The assertion that “Whatever you’ve done can’t overcome the power of the blood” is the cornerstone of the Christian message. The blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, is presented as the ultimate atonement for sin, a concept central to Leviticus and extensively explored in the New Testament epistles, particularly Hebrews, which details Christ’s sacrifice as a superior and eternal covenant. The inclusion of Tedashii's verse injects a visceral, street-level testimony of experiencing this transformative power. His words articulate a stark departure from a life characterized by the world’s superficial pursuits and dependencies, emphasizing a radical shift in allegiance and perspective. He speaks of being “out that” world, acknowledging the payment made by Christ, not through earthly means but through divine sacrifice, highlighted by the phrase “He paid it all, no green backs.” This resonates with the idea that salvation is a gift, not earned by works or money, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9. The breaking of “chains” that bind the sinner is a potent metaphor for spiritual freedom, a freedom that Tedashii professes with unreserved conviction: “Chain’s off me I know that’s fact. Christ saved me he ain’t holding back.” This echoes the liberation described by Paul in Romans 8:1, proclaiming there is “no condemnation” for those in Christ Jesus. Ultimately, "Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)" is more than just a song; it is a vibrant declaration of the gospel, a beacon of hope for the lost and broken, and a profound reminder of the victorious power of Christ's love and sacrifice.