Standing knee-deep in cold water, swiftly moving
Somehow I knew I lost something

Wading waist-deep I saw a book there, in the river
Waiting for me to find it there
I tried to read it, neck deep, treading water
The tide pulled me out to sea

Then with water in my eyes
The words began to rise from their place
They were beautiful and dread
I reached for them and fed on each phrase
They were honey on my lips
Then a bitter twist in my side
I knew they'd lay me in my grave
"Is there no one who could save me?" I cried

Sinking down deep through cold water and heavy silence
Shadows stirring in the gloom
What things lay sleeping down deep in the darkness?
Woke then to find me in my tomb

Then with water in my eyes
The words began to rise from their place
They were beautiful and dread
I reached for them and fed on each phrase
They were honey on my lips
Then a bitter twist in my side
I knew they'd lay me in my grave
"Is there no one who could save me?" I cried

When I lost all hope to look
someone took that heavy book from my hands
all its weight they set aside
after they had satisfied its demands
I felt white and black reverse
and the lifting of a curse from my heart
Then like one receiving sight
I beheld a brilliant light in the dark



Lyrics submitted by Jake831

Track duration: 06:26


Words in The Water song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation:Dustin is a worship leader at Mars Hill church in OC, and one of the churches ideologies is that Christianity is more about a relationship with Jesus than the laws of the bible. I think this song sort of follows that line. In the beginning he is lost, then finds the bible. He initially thinks he has found his salvation. The honey on the lips is a reference to Judaism, which only follows the old testament, the section from which most, if not all, of the controversial topics come from (anti-gay, pro slavery, etc.) The bitter twist in his side is a reference to the piercing of Jesus' side during his crucifixion. He thought he was doing right by following the literal reading of the bible, but it has led to his demise. Finally at the end, someone (Jesus) takes the weight (burden of the biblical law) for him, and essential says "you don't need these laws, you just need me in your life"
    Flag TheRevisioniston May 08, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I prefer not to take the bible interpretation routes when I hear Thrice's songs. While I know that is the original intent when Dustin wrote it, the lyrics are generalized enough that one can draw their own metaphors from the lyrics.

    To me I can see this song being someone being dumped/left in a relationship and being hung up on it. The book contains all of his memories of the relationship with his partner past weighing him down into what he feels like is the darkest depths of the ocean, drowning in the darkness.

    There is hope at the end, where the sad narrator finds another person who takes the book from him, lays it's heavy weight aside and brings him back in the life, possibly a friend helping him out of his sorrow or a new love in his life for him to embrace the light with.

    To each his own, I suppose.
    Flag Aman89on January 04, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:WORDS IN THE WATER
    (Taken straight from the physical album I own)

    "
    Standing knee deep in cold water, swiftly moving, somehow I knew I'd lost something

    Wading waist-deep I saw a book there in the river, waiting for me to find it there.
    I tried to read it, neck deep, treading water, but the tide pulled me out to sea.

    Then, with water in my eyes, the words began to rise from their place.
    They were beautiful and dread; I reached for them and fed on each phrase.
    They were honey on my lips, but then a bitter twist in my side.
    I knew they'd lay me in my grave, "Is there no one who could save me?" I cried.

    Sinking, down deep through cold water and heavy silence, shadows stirring in the gloom.
    What things that lay sleeping down deep in the darkness woke then, to find me in my tomb?

    Then, with water in my eyes, the words began to rise from their place.
    They were beautiful and dread; I reached for them and fed on each phrase.
    They were honey on my lips, but then a bitter twist in my side.
    I knew they'd lay me in my grave, "Is there no one who could save me?" I cried.

    When I lost all hope to look, someone took that heavy book from my hands,
    all its weight they set aside, after they had satisfied its demands.
    I felt white and black reverse, and the lifting of a curse from my heart.
    Then like one receiving sight, I beheld a brilliant light in the dark.
    "

    "endlesvyd" was right-on when finding the meaning of the song.
    Guys, face the fact: Dusting writes a lot of his lyrics based on the Bible.
    But that's a good thing!
    Flag Swaffyon December 03, 2011   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:NO WHERE DOES DUSTIN SAY ANYTHING ABOUT JESUS, OR CHRIST, OR WHAT THE BOOK ACTUALLY IS.
    ANY CONCLUSIONS YOU DRAW TO THAT POINT ARE MERE SPECULATION AND PROOF OF YOUR SUPERSTITIOUS BIAS.
    Flag steffelopodon November 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song talks about the two covenants of God. The first was the law handed to the nation of Israel; they were his people and he gave them his rules to follow as he would be their God. It was difficult to follow, like a weight weighing those down who tried honestly and earnestly to follow it. God saw that this was not good, and sent his son to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice for sins; Jesus became the new covenant and he abolished the law and the difficulty of following it. He became the new covenant and lifted the weight of sin.

    Dustin uses the metaphor of one drowning in a river to represent death; the book (the law, the first covenant) saves him from his death, but its weight nearly brings him back down to his death because of his inability to follow it. As he is about to die, hands come in and save him, and the hands that pick the book up and satisfy its demands are the hands of Jesus.

    Notice when Dustin cries "Is there no one who can save me I cry?" for a second time, the melody changes from minor to.....major.
    Flag LoveConquersAllon October 27, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:playitloud has it right. Dustin said this about the song in a recent interview:

    For me, the song is talking about the idea of the Law, which is what God would command. It is beautiful, but it’s also treacherous in the fact that we can’t live up to it. It’s pretty much the difference between the Law and the Gospel. The Law is translated and the Gospel is what he gives, and that’s kind of where the song ends, is that transition.
    Flag brooks450on October 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think you all got it pretty much right on the meaning of the song. Except I think the book is actually a book of science and him sinking with the unanswerable questions and emptiness it came with. In the end Jesus took the book from his hands and "satistfied its demands." I'm not a christian and I believe in science but I do think some people may rely too much on it. This whole album is about letting people know theres something more out there and for Dustin it is Jesus.
    Flag Ctay55on October 04, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:This song is clearly about Dustin picking up the Bible and it causing him to sink and someone saves him by taking the book away. Such a touching song, moral of the story is that the Bible induces drowning, proof here : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    Flag rageagainston September 30, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:WHAT A SONG!!!!! Every aspect of it amazes me. The poetic format of the lyrics, complicated rhythm and alternating time signatures (4/5 and 6/8) and most of all the meaning of the lyrics - these guys are real artists!

    When I listen to the last chorus, I forget all the worries of life and embrace the freedom Jesus gave us through death on the cross. I wish everyone could know the hope and freedom He brings, it's incredible.
    Flag mew32on September 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song makes a few references to Psalm 69
    So far, this is my favorite song from the new album :)
    Flag jessicalmon September 27, 2011   Link

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