Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus Lyrics
Lyrics
Your own, personal, Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers,
Someone who cares
Your own, personal, Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers,
Someone who's there
Feeling unknown
And you're all alone,
Flesh and bone,
By the telephone,
Lift up the receiver,
I'll make you a believer
Take second best,
Put me to the test,
Things on your chest,
You need to confess,
I will deliver,
You know i'm a forgiver
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Your own, personal, Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers,
Someone who cares
Your own, personal, Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers,
Someone to care
Feeling unknown
And you're all alone,
Flesh and bone,
By the telephone,
Lift up the receiver,
I'll make you a believer
I will deliver,
You know i'm a forgiver
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Video
Personal Jesus
Meaning & Inspiration
Johnny Cash's rendition of "Personal Jesus," released on July 30, 2018, is far more than a cover; it's a profound spiritual testament, a powerful echo of the original Depeche Mode song reimagined through the weathered soul of the Man in Black. This rendition transcends simple musical interpretation, delving into the very essence of divine connection and personal salvation. Cash’s performance, imbued with the gravitas of a life lived and lessons learned, transforms the song into a raw, intimate plea and promise. The core message resonates with the timeless human need for a higher power, a refuge in times of isolation and uncertainty. The lyrics speak directly to the feeling of being "unknown" and "all alone," mirroring the profound sense of alienation that often drives individuals to seek solace. This yearning is met with the offer of a "personal, Jesus"—not a distant deity, but an accessible, present force ready to hear prayers and offer care.
The strength of Cash’s "Personal Jesus" lies in its direct confrontation with the human condition, a condition the Bible often describes as fraught with sin and struggle. When the song urges the listener to "lift up the receiver" and acknowledge that "things on your chest, you need to confess," it evokes the biblical call to repentance and confession. This act of vulnerability, of laying bare one's burdens, is presented not as a source of shame but as the pathway to deliverance and forgiveness. The assurance that "I will deliver, You know I'm a forgiver" is a direct echo of God's boundless mercy, a theme woven throughout Scripture. For instance, Psalm 51:17 speaks of a "broken and contrite heart," which God "will not despise," and Isaiah 1:18 promises that "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." The invitation to "Reach out and touch faith" is the ultimate spiritual imperative, a call to move beyond mere intellectual assent and embrace a tangible, living connection with the divine. This is beautifully aligned with Hebrews 11:1, which defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Cash's delivery, particularly in his later years, carries an authentic weight that lends immense credibility to this message. His voice, a landscape of experience, lends itself perfectly to the profound assurance that there is someone who truly cares, who is always there, and who is willing to forgive. The song ultimately offers a deeply inspiring vision of faith not as an abstract concept, but as a tangible, personal relationship with the sacred, capable of transforming despair into hope and loneliness into profound connection.