White Heart - Jerusalem Lyrics
Lyrics
Jerusalem, you set the world on fire
Jerusalem, city of desire
We're watching you
What will you do
Oh Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the prophets call your name
Jerusalem, but they call out in vain
?cause you don't hear
How many tears must fall, Jerusalem
(bridge)
The armies come marching
They stand at your door
But still you refused to obey
Your children are scattered
All over the world
Yet their hearts are all drawn
To one place
Jerusalem, you are the wailing wall
Jerusalem, you break the hearts
Of all who dreams for you
What can we do
Oh Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Jesus call to you
Jerusalem, but you don't listen
To the voice of Love
It cries from above
Oh Jerusalem
(repeat bridge)
Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem
So far away
I'm gonna pray for you
Jerusalem
Jerusalem, when will the bloodshed cease
Jerusalem, when will you live in peace
So far away
I'm gonna pray for you
Jerusalem
Video
Jerusalem
Meaning & Inspiration
White Heart's powerful anthem "Jerusalem" emerged in 1987, a standout track on their "Greatest Hits" album, offering a profound meditation on one of the world's most significant and contentious cities. From its opening lines, the song casts Jerusalem as a city of immense spiritual weight, a place that "set the world on fire" and is simultaneously a "city of desire." This duality immediately captures Jerusalem's role as both a flashpoint of geopolitical and spiritual tension—a concept echoed in Zechariah 12:2-3, which describes Jerusalem as a "cup of staggering" and a "burdensome stone" for all the peoples around. Yet, it is also the chosen city of God, deeply desired by many faiths, a sentiment reflected in biblical verses like Psalm 48:2, which extols "Mount Zion, joy of the whole earth." The song then shifts to a poignant lament, recounting how "the prophets call your name, but they call out in vain, 'cause you don't hear." This speaks directly to Israel's historical pattern of spiritual deafness to God's messengers, a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament and tragically culminated in its rejection of Christ, as Jesus himself grieved in Matthew 23:37, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you." The question, "How many tears must fall, Jerusalem?" resonates with Jesus' weeping over the city, foreseeing its destruction due to its unbelief, as recorded in Luke 19:41-44.
The narrative continues to unfold, painting a vivid picture of Jerusalem's enduring trials. The lyric describing "the armies coming marching" and standing at its door evokes the countless sieges and conflicts the city has faced throughout history, a constant state of turmoil foreshadowed in prophecies of its unique vulnerability. Despite this perpetual external pressure, the song highlights the city's internal spiritual resistance: "still you refused to obey." Yet, there is an enduring connection, as "your children are scattered all over the world, yet their hearts are all drawn to one place." This powerfully encapsulates the Jewish diaspora, where the people of Israel were dispersed across nations, yet their hearts remained inextricably linked to Jerusalem, a longing expressed in Psalm 137:5-6, "If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill." The song’s depiction of Jerusalem as "the wailing wall" is profoundly symbolic, representing not just a physical site of mourning for the Jewish people, but the collective sorrow and broken hearts of all who deeply yearn for its peace and divine promise amidst its perpetual strife.
The song reaches its spiritual zenith by invoking the ultimate call: "Jerusalem, Jesus calls to you, but you don't listen to the voice of Love." This direct reference underscores the core of the city's spiritual struggle—its failure to recognize its Messiah, the very embodiment of divine love. This lament reflects a profound sadness over a rejection with eternal implications, a love offered and refused. The "voice of Love" that "cries from above" is an eternal plea for reconciliation and repentance, a theme woven throughout Scripture concerning God's unwavering pursuit of His people, despite their wanderings. The recurring motif of the scattered children and their persistent yearning for Jerusalem serves as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant, even in dispersion, hinting at a future regathering and restoration prophesied in passages like Ezekiel 36:24. The song’s concluding plea, "When will the bloodshed cease? Jerusalem, when will you live in peace? I'm gonna pray for you, Jerusalem," transforms the piece from a lament into an urgent call to intercession. It aligns with the biblical mandate to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6), recognizing that true and lasting peace for the city, and indeed the world, is ultimately tied to God's redemptive plan and the return of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ (Zechariah 14:9-11). This heartfelt commitment to prayer serves as an inspiration, prompting all believers to actively engage in spiritual advocacy for Jerusalem, trusting in the divine promise of its future restoration and the fulfillment of God's eternal purposes.