Disciple - Hardened Lyrics
Lyrics
Verse 1
Don't want to hear it anymore
Same old stuff I've heard before
what's the point in serving God
I'm so glad you asked
Bridge 1
If your mother had cancer
or someone raped your sister
or you die in disaster
tell me who do you turn to now
Pre-Chorus
Could you help yourself
could you save yourself
who do you turn to now
Chorus
Jesus, God break us, God change us,
for we are a people of hardened hearts
and unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5; Hebrews 3:13)
Verse 2
Don't want to be scared to believe
fire of hell I'll never see
it's all just a fairy tale
well I hope you're right and I'm wrong
Bridge 2
Separated forever from the hand of a savior
there's no one to help you there
tell me who do you turn to now (Revelation 20:10,15)
Video
Hardened
Meaning & Inspiration
The powerful track "Hardened" from Disciple's 2003 album, *Back Again*, released on February 25, 2003, at 8:00:00, is far more than just music; it's a raw, unflinching spiritual journey captured in sound. This song dives headfirst into the struggles of faith, confronting the very real questions and doubts that echo in many hearts today, ultimately leading to a profound cry for divine intervention. It masterfully articulates the human condition of skepticism and spiritual apathy, then offers the singular, essential answer found only in Christ.
The song immediately establishes a conversational yet challenging tone, opening with a voice of spiritual fatigue, lamenting, "Don't want to hear it anymore, same old stuff I've heard before, what's the point in serving God?" This isn't just a casual dismissal; it's the weary resignation of someone wrestling with the perceived irrelevance of faith. Yet, the response, "I'm so glad you asked," signals a pivotal shift, inviting a deeper exploration rather than accepting the cynicism. It's an invitation to confront the very core of these questions, refusing to shy away from the hard truths.
This invitation quickly morphs into a stark challenge in the first bridge, where the lyrics confront the darkest corners of human experience: "If your mother had cancer, or someone raped your sister, or you die in disaster, tell me who do you turn to now?" Here, the song pierces through intellectual posturing, dragging the listener into the visceral reality of suffering. It highlights the profound inadequacy of human strength or philosophy when faced with overwhelming tragedy, echoing passages like Psalm 34:18, which reminds us that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. The pre-chorus then crystallizes this truth, asking pointedly, "Could you help yourself, could you save yourself, who do you turn to now?" This sequence serves as a humbling realization of our inherent limitations, a truth Scripture frequently emphasizes, such as in John 15:5 where Jesus says, "apart from me you can do nothing."
The chorus erupts as the heart of the song's message, a desperate, corporate plea for spiritual revival: "Jesus, God break us, God change us, for we are a people of hardened hearts and unclean lips." This is a powerful act of confession, acknowledging humanity's fallen state. The phrase "hardened hearts" directly references passages like Hebrews 3:13, which warns against hearts becoming hardened by sin's deceitfulness, and Ezekiel 36:26, where God promises to remove the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh. The accompanying "unclean lips" immediately calls to mind Isaiah 6:5, where the prophet Isaiah, confronted by God's holiness, cries out, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips... and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." The chorus is a profound recognition of our need for divine purification and transformation, a turning from self-reliance to absolute dependence on God's mercy to create clean hearts within us, as prayed for in Psalm 51:10.
The second verse shifts focus to another common spiritual resistance: the denial of eternal consequences. It vocalizes the dismissive attitude towards biblical warnings about judgment: "Don't want to be scared to believe, fire of hell I'll never see, it's all just a fairy tale." This reflects a widespread desire to avoid uncomfortable truths, often rationalized as mythical narratives. The sarcastic twist, "well I hope you're right and I'm wrong," subtly undermines this complacency, hinting at the catastrophic implications if the speaker's skepticism proves unfounded. The subsequent bridge pulls no punches, laying out the chilling consequence of such disbelief: "Separated forever from the hand of a savior, there's no one to help you there, tell me who do you turn to now." This is a somber echo of the earlier question about earthly suffering, now escalated to an eternal dimension. The direct cross-references to Revelation 20:10 and 15 underline the biblical reality of eternal judgment, where those not found in the book of life face the lake of fire. It starkly reminds us that without the Savior, there is no refuge, no other helper, underscoring the exclusivity and urgency of Christ’s offer of salvation as found throughout Scripture.
"Hardened" by Disciple is a masterful piece of spiritual communication. It doesn't shy away from the difficult questions of suffering and doubt, nor does it offer platitudes. Instead, it confronts these realities head-on, exposing the limitations of human autonomy and pointing unequivocally to the transformative power and indispensable necessity of Jesus Christ. It’s a compelling call to honesty about one's spiritual condition and a desperate, yet hopeful, plea for God to break and change hearts, reminding us that true hope and salvation are found only in Him. This song is an enduring anthem for anyone grappling with faith, offering both challenge and profound encouragement to turn to the only One who can truly save.