Jon Foreman - Lord, Save Me from Myself Lyrics
Lyrics
My mind is dull and faded
From these years of buy and sell
My eyes have seen the glory
Of this hollow modern shell
And sex is a grand production
But I'm bored with that as well
Ah, ah, Lord save me from myself
Electric sun keep shining
Ripen daughters of the chrome
This world is where I breathe
Let it never be called home
Where the vultures make the money
Is where our bodies fell
Ah, ah, Lord save me from myself
Where the vultures make the money
Yeah, I'm bored with that as well
Ah, ah, ah, Lord save me from myself
Video
Jon Foreman - "Lord, Save Me From Myself"
Meaning & Inspiration
Jon Foreman's "Lord, Save Me from Myself," released on November 27, 2007, as part of his *Fall - EP*, stands as a profoundly honest and urgent prayer, distilling a common spiritual struggle into a concise, potent lament. The song immediately plunges into a raw self-assessment, revealing a soul wearied and disillusioned by the relentless pursuit of worldly fulfillment. It’s not merely a critique of external societal pressures, but a profound internal cry for deliverance from the self-destructive tendencies that can lead one astray even amidst apparent success and material comfort.
The opening lines paint a vivid picture of spiritual exhaustion: "My mind is dull and faded / From these years of buy and sell." This isn't just a commentary on consumerism, but a deeply personal confession of how the constant engagement with worldly transactions can dull one's spiritual senses, making the heart heavy and unresponsive to deeper truths. The speaker goes on to confess, "My eyes have seen the glory / Of this hollow modern shell," acknowledging the seductive allure of contemporary culture—its promises of pleasure, status, and artificial satisfaction—only to find it ultimately empty. This echoes the ancient wisdom found in Ecclesiastes, where King Solomon famously declared all earthly pursuits to be "vanity of vanities," a chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:11). Even something as intrinsically human as intimacy is reduced to a "grand production," leaving the speaker "bored with that as well," pointing to a deeper spiritual hunger that no superficial pleasure can sate, a common pitfall warned against in 1 John 2:15-17, which cautions against loving the world or the things in the world.
The core of the song, repeated like a desperate mantra, is "Lord, save me from myself." This isn't a plea to be saved from external enemies or difficult circumstances alone, but a profound recognition of the enemy within. It speaks to the human condition described so powerfully by Paul in Romans 7:18-19: "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." Foreman's cry articulates this very struggle, acknowledging that our greatest antagonist is often our own fallen nature, our inclinations toward apathy, self-absorption, and worldly compromise, which keeps us tethered to the very things we intellectually reject.
As the song continues, it presents stark imagery of a technologically advanced yet spiritually barren world: "Electric sun keep shining / Ripen daughters of the chrome." These lines conjure images of artificiality and manufactured beauty, perhaps representing the dazzling, yet ultimately cold and impersonal, products of modern progress that demand our attention and affection. Yet, amidst this captivating scene, the speaker declares a pivotal truth: "This world is where I breathe / Let it never be called home." This distinction is crucial for any follower of Christ, reminding us that while we live and move within this earthly realm, our ultimate citizenship and longing should be for a heavenly dwelling. Hebrews 11:13-16 speaks of the faithful who "admitted that they were foreigners and strangers on earth... longing for a better country—a heavenly one." Similarly, 1 Peter 2:11 exhorts us as "foreigners and exiles" to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
The lament deepens with the indictment, "Where the vultures make the money / Is where our bodies fell," twice repeating the sentiment about boredom with this exploitative system. This powerful image speaks to the predatory nature of greed and unchecked capitalism, where human dignity and well-being are sacrificed for profit. The "vultures" represent those who exploit others, while "our bodies fell" suggests not just physical suffering or death, but a spiritual and moral fall—a collective complicity in systems that dehumanize and corrupt. This resonates with James 5:1-6, which condemns the rich who hoard wealth and exploit workers, warning of judgment for those who oppress the poor. The repetition of being "bored with that as well" underscores a weariness not just with the effects of sin, but with the very mechanisms of a fallen world that we, through our own internal fallenness, often support or succumb to.
Ultimately, "Lord, Save Me from Myself" is an inspiring piece because it demonstrates the courage to voice such a vulnerable, essential prayer. It’s a recognition that true spiritual freedom begins with acknowledging our own brokenness and our inability to save ourselves. It’s an act of profound humility and a declaration of absolute dependence on divine intervention. For anyone struggling with the pull of the world, the emptiness of superficial pursuits, or the nagging battle against one's own sinful inclinations, this song offers not a solution in human effort, but a heartfelt plea to the only One who can truly transform the heart and deliver us from the deepest traps—the ones we set for ourselves. It serves as a reminder that confessing our need for God's saving grace, even from our own destructive selves, is the first step toward true liberation and spiritual vitality (Psalm 51:10, Romans 8:1-2).