Photo by Sandy Millar
Tauren Wells started his music career in 2004 as a founding member of Royal Tailor, with a focus on Christian pop rock. Royal Taylor produced one EP: Love Like This (2009) and two albums: Black & White (2011) and Royal Tailor (2013). The band was nominated twice for the Grammy’s for Contemporary Christian Music Album (2012 and 2015) and once for a GMA Dove award for New Artist of the Year (2012). The band disbanded in 2015 after Wells pursued a solo career.
Under his own name, Wells released two EP’s: Undefeated (2016) and Conocido (2019), and one album: Hills and Valleys (2017). He earned his first GMA Dove Award in 2017 for New Artist of the Year and was nominated this year for a GMA Dove and Billboard award for the subject of this review: Known.
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1. What message does the song communicate?
This is a “Jesus as my boyfriend” song. It speaks of “You” who understands Well’s struggles, wishes to renew again their relationship with him, with unceasing pursuit. Wells gives into You, having a personal relationship with them.
The only thing that may possibly imply “You” as God are the capitalization and that “You” fully knows and loves Wells. This is the only described attribute that is unique to God. Everything else can easily apply to a human lover. This song could significantly improve if Wells included additional properties exclusive to God (e.g.; omnipotence, eternality, cross, etc.).
Verse 1 briefly speaks on the corruption of man and God’s rescue; However, the language presented is watered down, calling sin a mess instead of separation from God. It is put in relational terms that sounds closer to human lovers than a relationship with the Almighty.
The Chorus describes God’s grace as “ridiculous”; However, surely Wells could have used a different word? “Ridiculous” comes from the word “ridicule”, defined as, to paraphrase, an absurd statement that deserves mockery. We ought not describe grace this way. I know what Wells means by it (see section 2), but “unfathomable” would communicate his message more clearly.
Score: 6/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Since Wells included at least one attribute of God, I won’t apply a 2 point penalty this time. With that in mind, most of it agrees with the Bible (given Wells’ intended interpretation); However, I have a slight issue with the statement that God never lets us go and take exception with surrendering to His kindness.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
It’s so unusual it’s frightening
You see right through the mess inside me
While man often looks at the outside, God sees our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 44:21, Proverbs 16:2, Jeremiah 17:10, and Luke 16:15). Wells correctly recognizes that the mess is within, not external to him (Jeremiah 17:9).
And you call me out to pull me in
You tell me I can start again
And I don’t need to keep on hiding
In much the same way as Adam and Eve, who hid from God, were called out of hiding (Genesis 3:8-10), so we too are called to migrate from deadness in sin, separated from God to newness of life, in relationship with Him (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).
[Chorus]
I’m fully known and loved by You
As written in Psalm 139:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 8:3.
You won’t let go no matter what I do
Yes and no. If we truly are His, no, He will not let us go (John 6:37-39, John 10:27-28, and John 18:9); However, He will allow us to leave if that is our desire, proving that we are not His (Ezekiel 3:20, Ezekiel 18:24-26, Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 12:42-48, John 15:1-6, Acts 4:32, Acts 5:1-11, Romans 1:28-32, Romans 11:13-23, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Corithians 7:23, 1 Corinthians 8:11, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Galatians 5:4, 1 Timothy 1:18-20, Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 10:26-31, Hebrews 10:38-39, James 5:19-20, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 Peter 2:20-22, 2 John 8-9, Revelation 2:4-5, Revelation 3:5, and Revelation 3:14-17).
And it’s not one or the other
That is, we are not either fully known or loved by God. It’s both.
It’s hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known fully known and loved by You
The difficuly in believing that we’re fully known and loved by God is subjective, but not unbiblical.
God’s underserved favor is unfathomable (Romans 11:33, Ephesians 2:4-6, and Ephesians 3:8).
I’m fully known and loved by You
Repeats line 1.
[Verse 2]
It’s so like You to keep pursuing
We cannot escape the presence of God (Psalm 139:1-12).
It’s so like me to go astray
That is because we are deceitful at our core (Jeremiah 17:9).
But You guard my heart with Your truth
His truth transforms our minds so that we may conform to His image (Romans 12:2). He gives us the way of escape for all temptations that exist (1 Corinthians 10:13).
A kind of love that’s bullet proof
That is, His love for us is inseparable (Romans 8:31-39).
And I surrender to Your kindness
This is incorrect. We surrender to His ways (Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6), not His kindness.
[Bridge]
How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
Describes the immeasurable depth, height, and witdh of God’s love for us (Ephesians 3:18).
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much
King David wondered the same thing (Psalm 8:4). We know that God’s love for us is innate, demonstrated through His actions (Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 17:7, Psalm 36:5-7, Psalm 63:3, Psalm 69:16, Psalm 117:2, Isaiah 54:8, John 3:16, John 13:34, John 15:13, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 8:37-39, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 5:25, Titus 3:4, 1 John 4:8, and 1 John 4:16-19). That is who He is. We don’t fully understand it.
How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much
Repeats lines 1-4.
[Outro]
It’s so unusual it’s frightening
Repeats Verse 1, line 1.
I’m fully known and loved by You
Repeats Chorus, line 1.
Score: 7/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unfortunately, I believe that many (if not most) non-christians (outside of a church function) will interpret this song as a human lover. As stated in section 1, fully knowing us is the only attribute of God described in these lyrics; However, humans have been known to claim to fully know someone, even if untrue. Wells failed to communicate clearly his message to the unbeliever’s ear.
Score: 0/10
4. What does this song glorify?
Given the issues presented, it is difficult for me to believe that God is implicitly glorified; However, I will give Wells half credit for decent Biblical accuracy.
Score: 5/10
Closing Comments
Tauren Wells’ Known is a mixed bag. While most of his lyrics agree with the Bible, it describes God’s grace as “ridiculous”, contains a minor issue with God never letting people go, and describes the incorrect notion that we surrender to God’s kindness, as opposed to His commands. Though Wells’ message is positive, unbelievers are more likely to intepret this song as a human lover than the Almighty.
I cannot recommend this for church.
Final Score: 5/10
Artist Info
Track: Known (listen to the song)
Artist: Tauren Wells
Album: Hills and Valleys
Genre: Pop
Release Year: 2017
Duration: 3:18
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2017 Capitol CMG Paragon (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com), EGH Music Publishing (BMI), Crucial Music Entertainment (BMI), Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
10/21/2021 – Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Tauren Wells’ theology via Lakewood Church.
10/12/2021 – Thanks to Katherine for showing me what “And it’s not one or the other” means. I did not change the score.
03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
Comments
Katherine
Just wanted to note that I believe what “It’s not one or the other” means is that God does not EITHER fully know us or love us. It is a “hard truth” that we are fully known by Him, but at the same time “ridiculous” grace that He still loves us even thought He knows everything about us. I agree, though, that the choice of the word “ridiculous’ is not the best way to say it. I have several other issues in other songs of his with his word choice. I think Wells meant to communicate that it was crazy that God would show us grace and love us even though He knows us completely.
Vince Wright
Katherine,
Thank you for your comments! I updated my review.
-Vince Wright
Ethan Y
Hello, thank you for all that you do! I was just curious about the difference between surrendering to the Lord’s kindness vs surrendering to the Lord’s ways. Is part of the issue in the biblical message that surrendering to the Lord’s kindness doesn’t go far enough into what submission to the Lord means? My current thought is that surrendering to kindness means admitting that we need a savior and that we let God work in our lives. Maybe the difference in surrendering to the Lord’s ways is that this also implies we not just let God redeem us, but that after we come to faith, we follow His ways as a reflection of the change in our heart (James 2:17).
Vince Wright
Ethan Y,
Thank you for your inquiry!
For me, the difference is that surrendering to God’s ways is Biblical, with all the Scripture I’ve shown for it. Surrendering to God’s Kindness, what does that even mean? How does one surrender to an attribute to God? Yes, we surrender to God because of His kindness, but it doesn’t make any sense to say “I surrender to God’s kindness”.
-Vince Wright
Andrew Hackler
Hey Vince, I appreciate your heart and your desire for Biblical accuracy, but I wonder if this is a little critical here (I am WAY too critical on a lot of songs, so I’m not saying this to poke a finger but hopefully help). When Tauren says I surrender to Your kindness, I think he’s referring to Romans 2:4-5
(I posted these verses in ESV) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
I know Paul is talking about judgement in the prior passage, but I do think the point remains the same, it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. Tauren is at least surrendering to God’s kindness presented to him in the fact that God keeps pursuing him despite the fact that he keeps going astray. The next part is a little confusing so I could be wrong, but “But You, guard my heart with Your truth” God’s Word changes us to follow His commands, and that’s “The kind of love that’s bulletproof” because we don’t even want to it’s Him that makes it possible for us to even say yes in the first place. So maybe he’s saying, “Wow God because You keep pursuing me even though I run away” and then assuming he’s speaking as a Christian “and You’ve guarded my heart from temptation with Your truth before” OR “Your changing my heart to follow Your ways, I’m going to surrender to Your kindness” meaning, I’m going to repent.
I admit the “guard my heart” may be a little shaky, but I think the concept of surrendering to God’s kindness is fine, because he’s referring to the repentance that either a: leads us to salvation or b: helps us continue to stop sinning (not saying it’s not both, just that repentance is used both ways in Scripture and I believe the Christian life. Repentance is required for salvation, you’re repenting of unbelief in Jesus for salvation, and then continual daily repentance to God’s laws and ways, by His grace). I could be wrong, but I think that’s what he was going for.
————————————————————————————————
I do have a separate thought and am curious about your thoughts on intent? As in the songwriter’s intent. I feel like a lot of songs are thrown to the side because we look at the lyrics in isolation from the original intent of the songwriter (not trying to bring artist theology not account with this statement), but with the intent we find some solid songs.
I remember the song review for King Of My Heart by John Mark McMillan and Sarah McMillan, I think it’s solid and have used it for corporate worship. I remember your comment was on the “echo of my days”, I don’t have the original link, but there was an article or comment that the artist intended that phrasing to mean the legacy, as in when people think of me, let them thing of the King of my heart as my legacy or the “echo” something that reverberates “of my days” my life. Then there’s “Never gonna let me down”, yeah He will let me down if I think that God’s will for my life is prosperity Gospel or a host of other things not in align with His will, however, I think that’s just trying to say, God is faithful I can trust Him. Sarah McMillan wrote this song as a reminder that she can trust God, because her Christian parents despite raising her in a Christian household got a divorce, I assume for unbiblical reasons, and so Sarah was using the Chorus and the Bridge to remind her that God is still good despite the moral failure she sees in her family. Never let me down might be another way of saying “You have my best interest at heart” which I believe is what trusting in God is meant to be, we can trust Him because He has our best interest at heart in everything that happens.
I want to use scriptural support here. In John 10, Jesus describes Himself as being one with the Father, and of course the pharisees freak out. Here’s the passage in context.
“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
[I’m highlighting this part]
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
[Highlighting this above part for clarity]
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.”
Now I could be wrong, but Jesus makes the claim that He is actually God, but in doin so, He points back to Psalm 82 as part of His defense, where the Psalmist (presumably Asaph) calls the ones who received Scripture “gods” (Scripture wholeheartedly is divinely inerrant, and I’m aware that God is speaking through Asaph or the psalmist and that my interpretation could be wrong and the “I” could be referring to God there, but I think from Jesus’s clarification He’s referring to the psalmist or Asaph) essentially saying, “In your Law the psalmist calls the ones who received God’s word ‘gods’, but you say I’m blaspheming because I, the One Whom God the Father has set apart and sent into the world, called Myself the Son of God?”.
My point here is this, words are words, while they carry meaning, they are a tool that God and humans in the bible use to mean different things in different places. To me, we always need to go back to what the author of a song meant when they wrote the words of a song down because aren’t artists allowed to use artistic license?? The Psalms are all songs, and God allowed the psalmists to use artistic license, and that’s the Word of God. We can’t let a songwriter use words differently than the word’s general meaning? (Forgive me, not trying to be argumentative, and again I could be REALLY wrong here, just trying to make a point. Definitely not an excuse to use God’s Name in vain either like some secular artists and people do). Also, songwriters may use a word for the sake of rhyming, and we want songs to sound good (I’m aware the psalms don’t rhyme in English, I wonder if some did in Hebrew?? I’m not an expert just my thoughts and limited study). Songwriters may also be trying to find a word to say something and they don’t know the exact correct word in the moment, but they might have found one that sounded good, they understood what they meant and went with it in the moment, we’re human!!!
Not trying to tear down this ministry or cause division, just a soft challenge of how reviews are done. Love this ministry want to see it keep going, and would love to help, but I don’t if I can give the time, and this is my heart when it comes to evaluating song lyrics. Feel free to disagree, correct, have further discussion, and use any part of my comment for King Of My Heart or Known.
Again, thanks for this ministry, hope to see you back soon, hope your job situation is getting better and that your wife is alright!
Andrew Hackler
(facepalm) I totally missed when you said, “Yes, we surrender to God because of His kindness”. However, I still stand by my commentary.
Andrew Hackler
One more clarification: When I mentioned my above statement, I’m not focused on the theology of the artist. Just because someone is a leader in a church and upholds the statement of faith, doe snot believe they uph9old necessarily every aspect of their pastor’s teaching. I think there are plenty who were involved in various megachurches with people we’d consider to be false teachers that write solid songs and are genuine Christians. An example from Hillsong is Reuben Morgan, from what some pastors associated with the Gospel Coalition have said, his heart is to just write songs based on Scripture. We may not agree with every point of doctrine, but do we believe in the tier 1 beliefs that are pertinent to the Gospel? I think in this case, we are. On the other hand their may be some people that write stuff steeped in the church’s theology, that could be problematic. I wonder about Brian and Jenn Johnson because they write some solid songs, and yet in some things I’ve heard said, I am a little concerned, yet I still think Goodness Of God is a solid song to use.
Hopefully this is an ok discussion to have, don’t want to go against your site’s rules but I still wanted to pose the challenge for some healthy dialogue.