Jon Foreman - Equally Skilled Lyrics
Lyrics
How miserable I am
I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here
After the harvest
There's nothing here at all
There's nothing at all here that could placate my hunger
The godly people are all gone
There's not one honest soul left alive
Here on the planet
We're all murderers and thieves
Setting traps here for even our brothers
And both of our hands
Are equally skilled
At doing evil
Equally skilled
At bribing the judges
Equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of our hands
Both of our hands
The day of justice comes
And is even now swiftly arriving
Don't trust anyone at all
Not your best friend or even your wife
For the son hates the father
The daughter despises even her mother
Look, your enemies are right
Right in the room of your very household
And both of their hands
Are equally skilled
At doing evil
Equally skilled
At bribing the judges
Equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of their hands
Both of their hands
No, don't gloat over me
For though I fall, though I fall
I will rise again
Though I sit here in darkness
The Lord, the Lord alone
He will be my light
I will be patient as the Lord
Punishes me for the wrongs I've done
Against Him
After that, He'll take my case
Bringing me to light and to justice
For all I have suffered
And both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At ruining evil
Equally skilled
At judging the judges
Equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
Are equally skilled
At showing me mercy
Equally skilled
At loving the loveless
Equally skilled
Administering justice
Both of His hands
Both of His hands
Video
Jon Foreman - "Equally Skilled"
Meaning & Inspiration
Jon Foreman's "Equally Skilled," released as part of his 2007 *Fall - EP*, is a powerful and unflinching exploration of human sinfulness that ultimately pivots towards hope and divine justice. The song plunges the listener into a stark assessment of the human condition, portraying a world where moral decay is rampant. Foreman's opening lines paint a bleak picture, a lament of arriving "after the harvest," finding spiritual barrenness and a pervasive lack of righteousness. He doesn't shy away from condemning humanity, describing us as "murderers and thieves" who prey on one another. This initial desolation directly echoes the Old Testament’s sobering diagnoses of Israel's sin, such as in Jeremiah 17:9, which states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" The subsequent verses develop this theme, revealing a societal breakdown where familial bonds crumble, and enemies are found even within one's own home. This sentiment resonates with passages like Micah 7:5-6, which foretells a time of deep social fracturing: "Do not trust a neighbor; do not confide in a friend. From her who lies in your embrace guard your lips! For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies are the members of his own household."
The recurring refrain, "And both of our hands / Are equally skilled / At doing evil," is the song's potent thesis regarding human depravity. It’s not about a few bad apples, but a universal capacity for sin. This "equally skilled" nature in wickedness speaks to the insidious ways sin infiltrates every aspect of life, from the personal to the institutional, as highlighted by the references to bribing judges and perverting justice. This concept aligns with Romans 3:23, which famously declares, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Foreman’s lyrics convey the profound weight of this shared guilt.
However, "Equally Skilled" is not simply an indictment; it is a carefully crafted transition to divine reckoning and ultimate redemption. The song’s trajectory shifts dramatically with the lines, "Though I fall, though I fall / I will rise again." This declaration of resilience is rooted in a profound faith, turning from self-reliance to dependence on a higher power. The speaker acknowledges his own failings and anticipates divine correction, stating, "I will be patient as the Lord / Punishes me for the wrongs I've done / Against Him." This acceptance of God's discipline is not masochistic but is presented as a necessary precursor to restoration, a sentiment found in Hebrews 12:6: "because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone whom he receives as his son." The promise of "Bringing me to light and to justice / For all I have suffered" offers a profound assurance of vindication and vindication.
The final verses introduce a crucial counterpoint to humanity's "equally skilled" evil: God's own equally skilled hands. This is where the song truly inspires, shifting the focus from our corrupt nature to divine perfection. The lyrics beautifully articulate God's immense power not in destruction, but in redemption. His hands are "equally skilled / At ruining evil," a powerful image of divine victory over sin and darkness. This directly mirrors the triumph of Christ, as seen in Colossians 2:15: "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Furthermore, the idea of God being "equally skilled / At judging the judges" and "Administering justice" speaks to His ultimate impartiality and righteousness, as described in Deuteronomy 32:4: "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and true." The song concludes with an exquisite portrayal of God’s boundless mercy and love: "equally skilled / At showing me mercy, / Equally skilled / At loving the loveless." This is the heart of the Gospel, the audacious grace offered to a fallen humanity, echoing Ephesians 2:4-5: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." "Equally Skilled" thus moves from a somber recognition of universal sin to an uplifting testament of God’s perfect justice and overflowing love, offering a profound message of hope rooted in scriptural truth.