sim·i·le
A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in “How like the winter hath my absence been” or “So are you to my thoughts as food to life” (Shakespeare).

A powerful tool of writing and one not much used in modern worship is simile. Metaphor is more commonly uses in modern worship songwriting and we’ll discuss that later, but for now I want to focus on simile. Psalms is full of simile which is no surprise since much of it was originally written as music. Simile helps us associate an abstract idea or theological view with a concrete illustration which helps us define and explain the abstract. Quite simply, an effective simile helps us understand a big idea by comparing it to an idea we all are very familiar with. Simile can also be purely poetic where the object being compared doesn’t require further explanation but the writer chooses to for lyrical clarity, imagery, style and/or conformity. Ideally both should be accomplished.

Let’s summarize things a simile should accomplish and then we’ll look at some examples.

1. Bring clarity to a big idea or theological view through comparison of a concrete idea or object
2. Poetically describe a topic so a congregation can sing the same truth through different lenses
3. Provide a fresh view of an old idea or truth that helps the congregation sing in spirit and truth
4. Support song topic

Things a simile should not accomplish:

1. Create confusion through inaccurate, inappropriate, incomplete comparison
2. Create multiple avenues of interpretation due to an overly vague, or abstract comparison. We should be singing the same truth not reaching different conclusions because you chose a really vague and inaccurate way to describe something.
3. Use so many fresh views that nobody is quite sure what is being described anymore. Similes should support the song topic, not distract from it.

Let’s look at an intriguing example in Psalms 39:11.

You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth(beauty) like a moth– each man is but a breath(vanity). Selah

This is great usage because it paints such a vivid picture of how the wicked’s beauty and wealth are consumed. A moth eats bit by bit, leaving holes as it eats. David is a little preoccupied with his enemies not being crushed and dealt with as he’d like. So David talks a lot about this topic and this line does a lot to describe how God is working through David and helps describe an abstract idea of God consuming wealth with a concrete idea of how a moth consumes.

It was really challenging finding modern examples of good simile but I found some great ones after the jump.

“Grace like a river, is falling down on me” -Delirious (Grace Like a River – World Service)

Grace being one of the biggest abstract theological points you can tackle in scripture, Martin Smith uses a river to describe grace’s impact, origin and behavior. A river can be pictured a 1,000 different ways which helps everyone relate to the lyric, but it all points to the same truth. Everyone will agree on a river’s impact, origin and behavior. Amos 5:24 uses similar imagery to describe justice and righteousness. Speaking of grace…

“Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee” -Robert Robinson

Josh did a great job in his exposition of this line. A fetter is a shackle placed on feet to keep you from moving. Using that imagery to describe our desire to be tied to God’s heart is amazingly powerful, effective and beautiful. If there’s a perfect example of how to use simile, this is it. Kevin Prosch uses similar language in one of his songs…

“My innocence and youth, I poured them out like water”…”like horses that are yoked, to the chariots of kings. hook me up to your heart God, never to be free” -Kevin Prosch (Come Down – Palanquin)

A great example of not only using unlike objects in comparison but seemingly antithetical objects of comparison is John Mark McMillan’s usage in How He Loves.

“He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.” -John Mark McMillan (How He Loves – The Songs Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down)

What a crazy way to describe God’s love. But the supporting lines in this song paints a picture that is not only beautiful, but incredibly descriptive and accurate. How powerless we are and dependent upon God’s mercy.

One more example for the road.

You shine like the sun in all its strength. -Violet Burning (Like the Sun – Strength)

Now for the fun part, let’s look at some of the worst example of simile. I hate to pick on rap, I love me some hip hop every now and then, but they are the most violent offenders of the rules and dignity of the English language, it gets laughable. Exhibit A

“Like Kathy Lee needs Regis that’s how I need Jesus” -Kanye West (Jesus Walks – The College Dropout)

Talk about an underwhelming comparison. Kathy Lee doesn’t need Regis all that much apparently, she left the show. As much as I can’t stand this line for it’s failure in accuracy or poetry, I love it for it’s comic relief. Kanye is a funny guy and I bounce to his jams for the most part. But nobody spins bad simile like R Kelly

“We be high just like them weeds” -R Kelly (Ghetto Queen)

Maybe they have some really tall weeds in the hood, but where I come from that’s just a bad descriptive illustration. There’s a lot of things higher than weeds.

“Now it’s like Murder She Wrote once I get you out them clothes, privacy is on the door…” -R Kelly (Ignition – Chocolate Factory)

I could type out the remaining 2 minutes of lyrics in this song but this line never EVER resolves. How any of it is like Murder She Wrote I’ll never know.

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