Disciple - The Executioner Lyrics
Lyrics
The executioner puts the cross upon my back
How beautiful, the breath that is my last
Start praying over me last rites
I'm giving up the ghost inside
I'm hanging on the nails I drive
This cross is where I come to die
And I've waited so long
This is the hill I'll die on
Start praying over me last rites
This cross is where I come to die
Video
"The Executioner" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO by Disciple
Meaning & Inspiration
Disciple's powerful track, "The Executioner," from their *Skeleton Psalms (Deluxe Edition)*, released on April 25, 2025, plunges the listener into a profound contemplation of sacrifice and surrender. The song's narrative is not one of external oppression, but rather an internal wrestling with a divinely appointed destiny. The imagery of "the cross upon my back" and the acceptance of "the breath that is my last" powerfully evokes the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is not a lament for a life cut short, but a testament to the beauty found in aligning one's will with God's, even when it leads to what appears to be an end. The plea for "last rites" and the acknowledgment of "giving up the ghost inside" are not signs of defeat, but of a willing relinquishing of self, a mature understanding that true life is found in dying to worldly desires. The line, "I'm hanging on the nails I drive," speaks to a personal commitment, a conscious choice to embrace the suffering that often accompanies discipleship, mirroring the voluntary nature of Christ's crucifixion. This song resonates deeply with the scriptural call to take up one's cross daily, as Jesus instructed in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." The declaration, "This is the hill I'll die on," signifies an unwavering resolve, a resolute determination to stand firm in faith, even unto death, echoing the faithfulness of martyrs throughout history who found their ultimate victory in unwavering devotion. The song presents a profound theological truth: that in surrendering our lives, we are, in fact, participating in something far greater than ourselves, embracing the very essence of redemptive love.