Philosophical Ideas Inherent in the Lyrics of Bob Dylan

By Jennifer Leslie Torgerson

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Vol. 1, No. 1

January 2010

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“God Knows”

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These submissions will examine the philosophical ideas inherent within the lyrical works of Bob Dylan.

@}---}---}— The song analysis is not an attempt to explain Bob Dylan’s personal philosophy, since not

knowing him I cannot begin to uncover this through his lyrics merely. Thus the philosophical analysis is

limited to the ideas presented in a singular piece of Dylan’s work.

@}---}---}— Each song as an individual snap shot, yet of course, each song just one part of the entire

collection of Dylan’s life’s work. Using this bracketing technique to limit the scope of each post to one

composition at a time will ensure that the blog-formatting will maintain concise presentation.

@}---}---}— Examination of just a few of the most interesting philosophical aspects of the lyrics of each

song will be presented in each post, and these do not necessarily represent all the possible ideas present in

the work itself. The easiest and most direct method of examining each song is to examine each verse

(bridge, chorus, etc) in its turn, and this will be the method used in the postings.

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God Knows

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.

Bridge #1: God didn't call it treason, God didn'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.

Bridge #2: 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.

Copyright ©1990 Special Rider Music

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@}---}---}— It is said that God is omniscient (all knowing) or “God knows everything.” Dylan aptly

expresses many things that God knows in this song of the same title (“God Knows”). Thus it is not a big

revelation to notice this state of affairs, yet a listing of the things Dylan has noted as the things God knows

is in itself interesting. I could list them again, although you can read them for yourself nonetheless above

in the lyrics. The reference to the book of Revelations is also apparent, thus I attempted to find more

obscure or less obvious references as well. I have found that there are several Psalms that express many

of the same sentiments as in Dylan’s song “God Knows.” I do wonder if any of them came to mind while

he was writing this song.

@}---}---}— In the first verse, I believe that Dylan is making reference to two matters of Christian faith:

1) Original Sin, and 2) to the claim that humans were created in God’s image. At first this may be seen as

a contradictory state of affairs, yet it is not in actuality. Perhaps it is a plain way of saying it, but “you” (or

human beings generally) “ain’t pretty” may be a reference to Original Sin. I am reminded of Paul’s

Epistles to the Romans. See Romans 5:12 – 5:21

“Well then; it was through one man that sin came into the world, and through sine death, and thus death

has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin already existed in the world

before there was any law, even though sin is not reckoned where there is no law. Nonetheless death

reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sin was not the breaking of a commandment,

as Adam’s was.” Romans 5:12 – 5:14

@}---}---}— Paul believes that sin entered the world from the first fall, made by Adam, and this is called

Original Sin. Dylan also makes an illusion to the belief that we are created in God’s image. I found this

sentiment in Psalm 139, which is about God’s omniscience. Note the similarity in the sentiment expressed

in the first verse of Dylan’s “God Knows.”

Psalm 139 11 - 16

In praise of God’s omniscience

“I will say, ‘Let the darkness cover me,

and the night wrap itself around me,’ (and be a light for me)

even darkness to you is not dark,

and night is as clear as the day.

You created my inmost self,

knit me together in my mother’s womb.

for so many marvels I thank you;

a wonder am I, and your works are wonders.

You knew me through and through,

my being held no secrets from you,

when I was being formed in secret,

textured in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes could see my embryo,

in your book all my days were inscribed,

every one that was fixed is there.”

@}---}---}— In the second verse, Dylan makes very clear references to the flood and to the final judgment

as presented in the book of Revelations. Dylan also echoes the ideas presented in the first verse as well. It

isn’t easy to live an upright life, in accordance with the laws of God. And God knows us in the womb, and

he knows that it will be a struggle for us, since he knows all our days before we are born, according to the

Psalm (139). This Psalm ends with “God, examine me and know my heart, test me and know my

concerns. Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin, and guide me on the road of eternity,” (Psalm 139

23-24). In Genesis it is told that “God said to Noah, ‘I have decided that the end has come for all living

things, for the earth is full of lawlessness because of human beings. So I am now about to destroy the

earth. Make yourself an ark out of resinous wood.” Genesis 6:13-14. Yet, God allowed Noah and his

family to repopulate the earth.

@}---}---}— The next time God decides to end the world, there will be no more water, surely, since

Revelations claims that it will end in fire. Fire is said to consume all the evil (Satan and his allies) at the

end of time, coming down from Heaven and consuming them all. Then God will sit and judge all, as their

deeds deserve, using two books one of life, which lists human deeds and the other, is the list of the

predestined. The dead will rise from the sea or from Death and Hades. All those not found in the book of

life will be thrown to the fire in the burning lake, and so will be Death and Hades too. Then there will be a

new heaven and earth, a New Jerusalem, and there will no longer be any sea. Revelations 20:8-15 and

21:1-2. The sea is the symbol of evil, and the place where the dragon dwells, and will disappear this time,

forever. As Dylan said, “God knows there's gonna be no more water, but fire next time.”

@}---}---}— I am not as certain of the ideas presented in bridge #1 of Dylan’s “God Knows,” yet here is

my attempt. At the end of Revelations, John tells us that the angel also said to him “Do not keep the

prophecies in this book a secret, because the Time is close. Meanwhile let the sinner continue sinning,

and the unclean continue to be unclean; let the upright continue in his uprightness, and those who are

holy continue to be holy. Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay everyone as their

deed deserve.” Revelations 22:10-11. It seems that the time was not as close as John believed it to be,

thus it was to be a season, but the wait has been so long. This theme is expressed in Psalm 145 15-16.

“All look to you in hope

and you feed them with the food of the season.

And, with generous hand,

you satisfy the desires of every living creature.”

I like the sentiment expressed in Psalm 145, since it speaks of how God will feed all with the food of the

season. “The fruit of the upright is the tree of life: the sage captivates the soul.” Proverbs 11:30.

@}---}---}— I find the balance of the song to be additional ways to restate much of what was said before,

yet in new ways. God knows all your secrets, and the book of life includes all the deeds performed by

everyone it is believed, thus God knows the all of our shortcomings too. He knows that some of us have

been bold or cynical. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God!’” Psalm 53:1 God will strike them

down, it is said: “’So much for someone who would not place his reliance in God, but relied on his own

great wealth and made himself strong by crime.’” Psalm 52:7.

@}---}---}— The river reference in verse 5 makes me think of Hades and the river Styx, yet it could be

reference to paradise. In the garden, there were three rivers. Genesis 2:10-14. The sea is the place of evil,

and our thirst is to be quenched by God. Revelations 21:6. But Dylan may be referring to the river of life,

which on either bank, grow the trees of life. Revelations 22:1-2. We will not need a lamp, the sun, or even

candlelight since “Lord God will be shining on them.” Revelations 22:5.

@}---}---}— In conclusion, I find it impossible to speak for Bob Dylan. I cannot reveal his philosophy to

you better than he can via his lyrics. I can speculate about his feelings, ideas and thoughts, yet without

knowing him personally, I cannot speak for him. I see that Dylan is a person who sincerely believes in

God, and his song “God Knows” expresses his idea of God’s omniscience brilliantly. It was in Dylan’s

finding God that I truly found Dylan, thus I began my philosophical quest with “God Knows.” It is not

possible to prove the existence of God beyond a reasonable doubt, yet a common argument is the

argument from design.

@}---}---}— It is said that the world is so complicated, that nature so diverse, the universe could not have

arisen from chance, but by design. The universe appears to have been put together by a being of

intelligence, since things in nature are ordered to an end. In my opinion, the best verse of “God Knows” is

the sixth verse, where Dylan plays upon this eloquently. God has a purpose for his creation and a reason

for creation as well. In the two books, it is said that God knows all we will do, and all that will be. So he

knows that there is a chance that we will be able to keep the faith and make it our eternal reward. What a

brilliant play on words.

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Psalm 23

Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

In grassy meadows he leads me to restore my spirit.

He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.

Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death

I should fear no danger, for you are at my side.

Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.

You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup brims over.

Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.

I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.

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Psalm 103:8-10 ‘God is Love’

Yahweh is tenderness and pity,

Slow to anger and rich in faithful love.

His indignation does not last for ever,

Nor his resentment remain for all time;

He does not treat us as our sins deserve,

Nor repay us as befits our offences.

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All Biblical quotes came from the following text:

The New Jerusalem Bible; Henry Wansbrough, Editor. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1985 [1966]).

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**know thyself**

Philosophy & Bob Dylan AKA

Philosophical Ideas Inherent in the Lyrics of Bob Dylan

Copyright 2010 JLT Jennifer Leslie Torgerson