Sia, Jesus Wept | Sunday Refresh 🙏

On the 8^th edition of Sunday Refresh, we’re uplifted by Sia performing the unsung spiritual pop gem from This is Acting (Deluxe), “Jesus Wept.”

Welcome to Sunday Refresh 🙏, a column that seeks to highlight inspirational songs to uplift the spirit.  These tracks that appear on Sunday Refresh may or may not be faith-based or religious; the goal is for them to make you feel better – refreshed.  So, for the 8^th edition of Sunday Refresh, we highlight 🎵 “Jesus Wept,” a chilling pop ballad performed by 🎙 Sia (Sia Furler).

“A blinding white light / And I heard a cry / And it was mine / Burning to survive.” Up until this point, many of the tracks selected on Sunday Refresh have been Christian- or gospel- affiliated.  You could argue that “Jesus Wept” is the first song to grace the column that you don’t expect to hear in church – not that there aren’t spiritual themes, of course.  “Jesus Wept” appears only on the deluxe version of Sia’s 2016 album, 💿 This is Acting.  This is Acting, of course, is best known for gems like 🎵 “Bird Set Free” (strongly considered by the way), 🎵 “Alive,” and 🎵 “Cheap Thrills.” Still, I truly wish more folks hadn’t overlooked the absolutely stunning, moving ballad at hand, which, in hindsight, may be the best song on the album.

On the gorgeous, enigmatic, haunting, and powerful “Jesus Wept,” Sia references her recovery from substance abuse. Of course, when one of the most famous scriptures from the B-I-B-L-E happens to be the title, there’s a religious/spiritual angle too:

“How Jesus wept
He wept as he
Took twelve steps
And carried me
Oh, how he wept
For thee
Resurrection on me.”

While we don’t know the ins and outs of Furler’s faith, it is clear she is thankful for her recovery, at minimally, makes a big-time Biblical allusion. As the embedded article from I Believe suggests, Jesus wept for three reasons: (1) The pain of his friends (2) their lack of faith (3) for his coming suffering.  In the case of this particular, personal song, all three of those reasons seem applicable. The pain with which Jesus wept specific to Sia: her addiction.  The lack of faith is evident in the song (“God shaped hole leave me empty” and “Faith creeps slowly over me”). And of course, number three – well – that’s the big one.  

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Secular (or Not So Secular) Songs About Jesus 2.0

🔗 🎧 13 Songs That Are Biblical – Sort of  (referenced in the intro only)

🎙 Sia • 💿 This is Acting (Deluxe) • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2016

Sia, “Jesus Wept”: Sunday Refresh 🙏 No. 8 (2021) [📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, RCA, Zac Durant on Unsplash]