Yahweh

It's got to be about the situation in the middle East, the Israel/Palestine thing.

"Lay down your guns All your daughters of Zion All your Abraham sons" Stop the fighting in Israel. I'm Jewish, and often in services Israel is referred to as Zion. Israel is even called Zion in the Israeli national anthem.

"Take these hands Don’t make a fist Take this mouth So quick to criticise Take this mouth Give it a kiss" Don't make a fist with your hand, like don't be aggresive and fight, like you would make a fist if you were to punch someone out. But don't. We can resolve things peacefully. And don't provoke people verbally either, no slander. Yasser Arafat was always insulting and degrading Jews, and look what's going on. Be nice.

"Yahweh, Yahweh Always pain before a child is born." He's saying God, God, then what he's saying is that there's always pain and bloodshed and fighting before people can see the error of their ways and the child, i.e. a peaceful, precious, pure holy city of worship can come into existence.

"Yahweh, tell me now Why the dark before the dawn?" Why must there be fighting and sadness before we can hae our golden utopia, Jerusalem.

The rest is pretty obvious from here.

I am happy to say that this is yet another song about U2 and their Christian faith. Yahweh is the old Hebrew name for God. Its amazing how Bono puts into words God's love, how His love that he is feeling now is just A DROP IN THE OCEAN, and how you have to wait to get the whole thing in Heaven. But in order to do this you must humble yourself, you must give God everything, your hands, mouth, heart, shoes, shirt, soul. TAKE THIS HEART. this song is amazing just like the rest on the album.

"No one can own Jerusalem, but everybody wants to put flags on it"--Bono

I read that bono was singing to the music when they were writing this song, and the Yahweh part came to him and they kept it in, rather than mess around and change it

a beautiful song... "Yahweh" something so nice about how he sings it, a deffinate christian reference i love the lines.. "take the hand.. dont make a fist" make love not war be happy :)

President Bush should listen to this song... considering he calls himself such an avid believer in the Christian Faith......

Whoops. That first bit goes for "Love and Peace or Else". I messed that one up...

Powerful song that could be interpreted on different levels...I think there are more specific references to the middle-east in other songs from this album. This song is like a prayer that could be just Bono's personal prayer, or a prayer for the whole world. It is not limited to a denomination. I see it more as a universal prayer that I can apply to myself. Great art is usually like that - works on many different levels. Metaphors are open to interpretation.

What I find very refreshing about this song is the "attitude" (for lack of better word) that comes across through Bono's voice and the music....it sounds humble, honest, sincere, authentic, hopeful (without denying the difficulties we face) without the negative and shallow cynicism so common today.

Bono's singing here is just great.

Is it "Take this soul, make it sing' or "make it sane"...I thought it was sane but it could be sing?

I'm not a Christian, but I have tons of respect for Bono and his faith. The Christian religion has become corrupt, and it now seems like a way to get money. I believe that the morals it sets are great, and I follow them myself. I read the Bible, and I believe that many aspects of it are true. I have certain questions that I still need to answer, but anyways. This song is a true symbol of his face. It also describes the love God has for all his children, atleast to me it does. I'm not a Christian, but this song is great.

the best line is" take this heart and make it break"