In last week’s Q & A (which was very interesting, by the way), you mentioned that there were perhaps many songs which have used biblical verses within their lyrics. My family and I were trying to come up with some, but couldn’t. Do you know any other songs whose lyrics were taken from the Bible?

Hmmm…I kind of feel like I’m being called on the carpet. Although I’m not a musicologist, I felt on pretty solid footing when making that statement. Many artists and groups – from Coldplay to Springsteen – have utilized biblical imagery within their music. For instance, the Irish rock group U2 routinely peppers their lyrics with biblical verses and illustrations; in fact, their song “40” is solely based on the first three verses of Psalm 40.

Many Reggae artists such as Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley are also known for incorporating the Bible into their songs. The classic reggae standard, “Rivers of Babylon” is entirely based on Psalm 137.

Bob Dylan is yet another artist who both, before and after his Christian conversion, weaves biblical verses and imagery throughout his lyrics. His song, “Jokerman,” culls many analogies from the Prophets, Psalms, and New Testament Gospels.