Steve Green - People Need the Lord Lyrics
Lyrics
Everyday they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pain
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
When will we realize people need the Lord?
We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who's lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
When will we realize that we must give our lives?
For people need the Lord, people need the Lord
Video
People Need the Lord - Steve Green - Live Billy Graham Crusade
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on January 1, 1984, as part of Steve Green's *Top 5: Steve Green - EP*, "People Need the Lord" stands as a foundational anthem within contemporary Christian music, its profound message reverberating with timeless urgency. The song opens by drawing a vivid, almost heartbreaking portrait of humanity: individuals passing by, their eyes betraying a deeper truth of inner emptiness and burdens, despite outward appearances. It captures the universal human condition of striving, often without direction, "headed who knows where," as they navigate life's challenges. This imagery aligns powerfully with the biblical description of those "without hope and without God in the world," as detailed in Ephesians 2:12, suggesting a profound spiritual void that no earthly pursuit can fill. The observation that "laughter hides their silent cries" profoundly acknowledges the often-invisible suffering people carry, a private pain known only to Christ, who "is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). This sets a compassionate foundation, revealing a world in desperate need of solace and truth.
The chorus delivers the song's central, unyielding declaration: "People need the Lord, people need the Lord." This isn't merely a statement but a spiritual cry, asserting Christ as the ultimate answer to life's profound questions and deepest needs. The image of Him as "the open door at the end of broken dreams" offers a powerful metaphor for hope and new beginnings when all else has failed. John 10:9 beautifully reinforces this, stating, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved." The question posed, "When will we realize people need the Lord?", serves as a poignant challenge, urging believers to awaken to the pervasive spiritual hunger around them and to perceive the world through the lens of divine compassion. It's a call to move beyond passive observation to active realization, understanding that the spiritual need is not a distant concept but an immediate reality.
The song then shifts from diagnosis to divine mandate, reminding believers of their sacred calling. "We are called to take His light to a world where wrong seems right," reflecting Jesus' own words in Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world." This highlights the moral confusion and spiritual darkness prevalent in society, positioning the Church as the beacon of truth. The subsequent query, "What could be too great a cost for sharing life with one who's lost?", directly confronts any reluctance or self-preservation, echoing the immense value Christ places on each individual soul, as illustrated in the parables of the lost sheep and coin in Luke 15. It underlines the mission of the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19-20, to go and make disciples, knowing that the eternal well-being of a soul far outweighs any temporal sacrifice.
Further emphasizing empathy, the lyrics affirm that "through His love our hearts can feel all the grief they bear," prompting a connection to the suffering of others, much like Paul's exhortation in Romans 12:15 to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." This feeling of shared humanity fuels the urgent truth that "they must hear the words of life, only we can share." This powerful statement underscores the unique, irreplaceable role of Christ's followers as messengers of the Gospel. Romans 10:14-15 powerfully articulates this necessity: "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" The song’s repetition of the chorus culminates in a heightened plea: "When will we realize that we must give our lives?" This isn't just about sharing information but about embodying the message, living a life of self-sacrifice and devotion that genuinely reflects the love and saving power of Christ, a principle exemplified by Jesus Himself and consistently called for in Scripture, such as in Mark 8:35, where He states that whoever loses their life for His sake and the gospel's will save it. "People Need the Lord" thus functions as a timeless call to action, urging believers to embrace their divine purpose with passion, compassion, and unwavering dedication, recognizing that the deepest human need can only be met by the Lord, and that believers are His chosen instruments to share that life-giving truth.