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What is Truth
Whispers echo in the void, where shadows meet the light,
A question lingers in the air, seeking to take flight.
Standing in soldiers' way, shadows fall across the floor,
A leader with earthly power, a quiet King before the door.
The crowd shouting loud, demanding what is easy,
Between bottle and truth, a quiet voice gets hard to see.
Romans fear lost control, he turns away to save his name,
Like an addict in the dark, choosing habit over shame.
He asked the world, "What is truth?", turned his back and walked away,
Choosing the easy fix to live to fight another day.
But truth don’t shout to win the crowd—it stands, it bleeds, it holds the line.
Surrender isn't losing ground, it’s letting go of what is mine.
The cross is standing in the noise, a compass through the deepest night,
Trade easy for grace, and step out of the dark to light.
The craving yells a thousand lies, the crowd demands a compromise,
To keep ego safe, to hide the tears behind our eyes.
We manage all the pain, to survive on our own strength,
While mercy awaits with open and wide arms,
Peter warmed his trembling hands beside a cold and charcoal fire,
Denying what he knew was real to satisfy the fear’s desire.
He asked the world, "What is truth?", turned his back and walked away,
Choosing the easy fix to live to fight another day.
But truth don’t shout to win the crowd—it stands, it bleeds, it holds the line.
Surrender isn't losing ground, it’s letting go of what is mine.
The cross is standing in the noise, a compass through the deepest night,
Trade easy for grace, and step out of the dark to light.
Truth is not a speech, truth is not a trial to win,
Truth is drops every shield and lets Heaven enter in.
Our Lord didn't fight the spears, He didn't bargain for His release,
He bowed His head and gave His life to give the broken vessel peace.
He asked the world, "What is truth?", turned his back and walked away,
Choosing the easy fix to live to fight another day.
But truth don’t shout to win the crowd—it stands, it bleeds, it holds the line.
Surrender isn't losing ground, it’s letting go of what is mine.
The cross is standing in the noise, a compass through the deepest night,
Trade easy for grace, and step out of the dark to light.
The cross stands tall...
Truth is surrender...
And grace covers it all.
ABOUT THIS SONG
Written and produced by Tasmanian songwriter Jason Bresnehan, What is Truth is a musical arrangement in the soft rock genre with a male vocal. The song explores one of the most confronting questions found in the Gospel of John, namely Pilate's question to Jesus: "What is truth?" Set against the events leading to the Crucifixion, the song examines the tension between truth and expediency, courage and fear, surrender and self-preservation. It presents the Cross not simply as an event in history, but as a guide for navigating life's most difficult choices.
The lyrics are based on The Addict's Dilemma—Truth or Expediency, a reflection on John 18–19. At its centre is Pilate, a man who recognises truth when it stands before him but ultimately chooses political survival over conviction. The song draws a direct parallel between Pilate's dilemma and the experience of addiction, where a person often knows the truth but chooses the immediate relief of the habit instead. References to the crowd, Peter's denial, fear, compromise and the Cross all reinforce the central message that recovery, discipleship and authentic faith require surrender to truth rather than surrender to fear. The recurring refrain that truth "stands, bleeds and holds the line" reflects the example of Christ, who chose obedience, sacrifice and love rather than self-preservation.
The artwork depicts a solitary wooden cross standing between towering canyon walls beneath a night sky, illuminated by the light of burning candles. The image reinforces the song's central theme that the Cross remains a fixed point of truth in a world filled with noise, confusion and competing voices. The narrow pathway leading toward the Cross suggests a deliberate choice of direction, while the surrounding darkness highlights the contrast between human uncertainty and the unwavering light of Christ. The visual imagery reflects the song's portrayal of the Cross as a compass, guiding people away from expediency and toward truth.
This song forms part of the Worship II Collection by Seventh Ribbon Music.
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