Rich Mullins - Everyman Lyrics
Lyrics
Well he was out on a limb he was sitting in the shade
He'd led a hundred men and lived alone among the graves
He had a thousand questions and a million heartaches
He was everyman he was everyman
She was caught in a sin she knew the well was so deep
She threw her last pennies in and poured oil upon His feet
She touched the garment's hem she had only been asleep
She was everyman she was everyman
And the Lord looks down and He understands
The world draws up it's lines
But at the foot of the cross there's room for everyone
And love that is not blind
It can look at who we are and still see beyond
The differences we find
But with thorns in His brow and a spear in His side
Nails in His hand He died for you and I
For you and I and everyman
He had nets to mend he gave his fish and his loaves
He had to wash his hands and ran away without his robe
He couldn't understand until on Damascus road
He was everyman he was everyman
She brought the world a lamb and took warning from a dream
From an empty tomb she ran for her children she would weep
In her womb a baby danced she'd been waiting for a King
She was everyman she was everyman
And the Lord looks down and He understands
The world draws up it's lines
But at the foot of the cross there's room for everyone
And love that is not blind
It can look at who we are and still see beyond
The differences we find
But with thorns in His brow and a spear in His side
Nails in His hand He died for you and I
For you and I and everyman
The world draws up it's lines
But at the foot of the cross there's room for everyone
And love that is not blind
It can look at who we are and still see beyone
The differences we find
But with thorns in His brow and a spear in His side
Nails in His hand He died for you and I
For you and I and everyman
Everyman
Video
Everyman
Meaning & Inspiration
Rich Mullins' "Everyman," featured on his 1992 album *The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2*, stands as a profound testament to the universality of the human experience in the face of God's boundless love. The song masterfully weaves together vignettes of different individuals, each embodying aspects of our shared human condition, demonstrating that at the core of our struggles and aspirations, we are all fundamentally "everyman." The initial imagery of a man "out on a limb," burdened by leadership and personal heartache, evokes figures like Moses, who led a nation through immense trials and often felt isolated (Exodus 3:11, Numbers 11:10-15). Similarly, the woman "caught in a sin" who anoints Jesus' feet echoes the story of the woman in Luke 7:36-50, whose act of devotion, born from profound contrition and an awareness of her past, is met not with judgment but with grace. This resonates deeply with the broader biblical narrative of redemption, where even those perceived as lost find solace and forgiveness.
The song's central message, powerfully articulated in its chorus, is that "at the foot of the cross there's room for everyone." This refrain is a direct echo of Jesus' own invitation to all who are weary and burdened, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Mullins highlights that divine love is not blind to our flaws but sees beyond them, a concept beautifully illustrated by the prophet Isaiah's vision of God's unwavering faithfulness: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). The images of Jesus' suffering – the thorns, the spear, the nails – are stark reminders of the sacrificial nature of His love, a love that encompasses "you and I and everyman," fulfilling the prophecy that "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
The subsequent verses continue to explore this theme of shared humanity through biblical figures. The man who "had nets to mend" and fled "without his robe" could easily represent Peter, the fisherman, whose impulsive denial of Jesus and subsequent repentance on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6) mirror the struggle to grasp divine truth. The woman who brought a lamb and ran from an empty tomb is clearly Mary Magdalene, a faithful follower who, despite her grief, was the first witness to the resurrection, embracing the promise of new life (John 20:1-18). Her "waiting for a King" speaks to the deep human longing for hope and salvation, a longing that has been a constant thread throughout scripture. Mullins’ genius lies in taking these archetypal figures and their experiences, making them relatable to the contemporary listener, reminding us that the same grace that found them is available to us. The song ultimately serves as an inspiring invitation to recognize our shared brokenness and our common redemption, all made possible by a love that truly sees and embraces us, every single one.