In June 2020, Esquire Magazine published an interview with Bob Dylan. In an online summary of the longer interview, Esquire called him "always a prophet."
Walter Brueggemann, widely considered to be one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of the last several decades, defines the "prophetic voice" as an exhortation to "speak truth to a society that continues to live in illusions." I do think Dylan qualifies!
I have been quite taken, in fact, by Dylan's song, God Knows. If you will click that title link, below, you can listen to the song. I am including the lyrics, and I have highlighted just a couple of Dylan's prophetic phrases. This is definitely an "exhortation." God knows we need to pay attention!
God knows you ain’t pretty
God knows it’s true
God knows there ain’t anybody
Ever gonna take the place of you
God knows it’s a struggle
God knows it’s a crime
God knows there’s gonna be no more water
But fire next time
God don’t call it treason
God don’t call it wrong
It was supposed to last a season
But it’s been so strong for so long
God knows it’s fragile
God knows everything
God knows it could snap apart right now
Just like putting scissors to a string
God knows it’s terrifying
God sees it all unfold
There’s a million reasons for you to be crying
You been so bold and so cold
God knows that when you see it
God knows you’ve got to weep
God knows the secrets of your heart
He’ll tell them to you when you’re asleep
God knows there’s a river
God knows how to make it flow
God knows you ain’t gonna be taking
Nothing with you when you go
God knows there’s a purpose
God knows there’s a chance
God knows you can rise above the darkest hour
Of any circumstance
God knows there’s a heaven
God knows it’s out of sight
God knows we can get all the way from here to there
Even if we’ve got to walk a million miles by candlelight
God knows it’s true
God knows there ain’t anybody
Ever gonna take the place of you
God knows it’s a struggle
God knows it’s a crime
God knows there’s gonna be no more water
But fire next time
God don’t call it treason
God don’t call it wrong
It was supposed to last a season
But it’s been so strong for so long
God knows it’s fragile
God knows everything
God knows it could snap apart right now
Just like putting scissors to a string
God knows it’s terrifying
God sees it all unfold
There’s a million reasons for you to be crying
You been so bold and so cold
God knows that when you see it
God knows you’ve got to weep
God knows the secrets of your heart
He’ll tell them to you when you’re asleep
God knows there’s a river
God knows how to make it flow
God knows you ain’t gonna be taking
Nothing with you when you go
God knows there’s a purpose
God knows there’s a chance
God knows you can rise above the darkest hour
Of any circumstance
God knows there’s a heaven
God knows it’s out of sight
God knows we can get all the way from here to there
Even if we’ve got to walk a million miles by candlelight
Image Credit:
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a32851064/bob-dylan-interview-george-floyd-coronavirus/
Go, Gary! Go, Dylan!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting (every one)!