Branan Murphy – Life Is Hard. God Is Good.

Branan Murphy is an American pop/rap artist.  He released two albums and two EPs, including:

• Branan Murphy (EP, 2018)
• Who Am I? (2019)
• Better King (EP, 2021)
• Life Is Hard. God Is Good. (2024)

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1. What message does the song communicate?

Overwhelmed by the weight of life’s turmoil and the pain of his wrongful actions, Murphy turns to God for security.  As the ruler of the universe, the all-seeing God is good, granting healing and redemption to those who seek Him.  Though life is still a struggle, Murphy can soldier on as he learns to trust God more and more, knowing that God’s love is greater than his problems.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

100%.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

I need a minute
To watch the dust settle all around me
The world’s still spinning
But feels like mine has stopped, it’s overwhelming

Murphy’s felt experience is overwhelming, to the point where he cannot think clearly until circumstances change for the better.  This is precisely how Jesus felt in Matthew 26:38 before He was arrested.

[Pre-Chorus 1]

I was working from my own script
Then it all flipped
Lightning strikes and then the pain hit
It was instant

Describes Murphy’s acknowledgment of self-living, the pain that it caused, and his implied trajectory change from eternal damnation to eternal life (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).  Although this point is vague here, it is clarified in Pre-Chorus 2.

But there’s a king who sits above it all

That is, God (Exodus 15:6, Exodus 15:11, 1 Chronicles 29:11, 2 Chronicles 20:6, Psalm 24:10, Psalm 93:1, Psalm 110:2-3, Psalm 104:1, Psalm 145:5, Psalm 145:12, Job 37:22, Isaiah 24:14, Isaiah 26:10, Hebrews 1:3-4, Hebrews 8:1, Revelation 4:1-11, and Revelation 19:7-16).

[Chorus]

Life is hard

This is the curse inherited from Adam (Genesis 3:17-19).

God is good

All the time (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 27:13, Psalm 31:19-20, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 86:5, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 135:3, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 145:9, Lamentations 3:25, Nahum 1:7, Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18, and Luke 18:19).

He’s fighting for me like he promised he would

He is fighting Murphy’s battles (Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 3:22, Deuteronomy 20:4, Joshua 1:9, Joshua 23:10, Psalms 44:5, and Romans 8:31).

Hearts will break
He will heal

God is in the business of turning the evil in this world around for good (Genesis 50:20).

No matter how the moment might feel
Trouble breaks in like a bandit
I am safe right where I’m standing

God is Murphy’s bulwark (Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 22:3-4, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 34:22, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 61:3, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 118:8, Psalm 121:7-8, Psalm 138:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 30:5, Nahum 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and 1 John 5:18).

Life is hard
God is good

Repeats lines 1 and 2.

[Verse 2]

I’m learning to lean in
To the process of believing your love is constant, constant

Murphy learns to believe that God’s love is unyielding (1 Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 2 Chronicles 20:21, Psalm 89:2, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 117:1-2, Psalm 118:1-29, and Psalm 136:1-26, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Romans 8:38-39).

It’s the Father’s attention
There’s never been a moment you weren’t watching

This is so because God is omnipresent (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17, and Hebrews 4:13) and omniscient (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20).

[Pre-Chorus 2]

I know you’re working on a new script
Flip the pages
You turn ashes into beauty
But in stages
These scars were only meant to make me strong

Line 3 quotes from part of Isaiah 61:3.  The entire point here is that life’s rough roads make Murphy a better person, which yields the perfect fruits of righteousness (Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 12:4-11, and James 1:2-4).

[Bridge]

The light in the dark, light in the dark, light in the dark

As summarized in Isaiah 9:2.

He’s never too far, never too far, never too far

He is near those who call upon Him in truth (Psalms 145:18-20).

Nothing can separate me from his love

Quotes from part of Romans 8:38-39.

Whatever I’m facing he’s overcome

As summarized in John 16:33.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Murphy’s language is everyday intermixed with easy-to-understand idioms. The phrases “beauty for ashes” and “nothing can separate me from his love” are common Christian staples that should easily lend to a Christian interpretation, that is, God’s love overcomes worldly problems for Christians who believe in Him.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God as the One whose light outshines the darkness within this world; the beacon of hope in a lost and dying world.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Branan Murphy’s Life Is Hard. God Is Good. is an excellent summary of Murphy’s philosophy.  Though life is a struggle, Murphy recognizes that God’s lovingkindness overwhelmingly conquers the evils of this world, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers should have little to no problems interpreting similarly.

I’m not quite so sure if folks within congregations are ready to worship with this one.  If there was an audience that was more accepting of pop that leans towards rap, then it could be worthy of consideration.  However, such churches are few and far between.  Worship leaders might be able to use this…somewhere within the service, but probably not during corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Life Is Hard. God Is Good. (listen to the song)

Artist: Branan Murphy

Album: Life Is Hard. God Is Good.

Genre: Pop

Release Year: 2024

Duration: 3:14

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*Copyright © 2024 Paravel Records / DREAM Records. All rights reserved. Used with permission.