Tauren Wells – Known

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.