That Whiter Shade of Pale Feeling

We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick, but the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder, as the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink, the waiter brought a tray.

If you are a connoisseur of 60s music, you might recognize those words as the first verse of Procol Harum’s song, “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” This song, released in 1967, is widely regarded as defining that year’s Summer of Love. Yet, its psychedelic melancholy tone could not be more characteristically different from the songs of that era.

The band’s lead singer, Gary Brooker, said that the musical inspiration for the song came from Bach’s “Air on a G String.” About that same time, his band mate, lyricist Keith Reid had been at a party in which he overheard someone tell a woman, “You’ve turned a whiter shade of pale.” And from there, the song was born. This enduring classic is one of my favorites. In fact, it is one of my go-to songs when my brain needs to calm itself. I sometimes put it on repeat mode in my headphones. Earlier this week, I listened to it for most of the morning as I sat working at my desk.        

Those first verse lyrics could be used to describe life in this fast-paced chaotic spinning out of control world we live in. The chorus of the song goes like this – And so it was later, as the miller told his tale, that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale.

Figuratively speaking, have you ever been a whiter shade of pale? Maybe you are there right now. Do you agree that the world in which we live can easily cause all of us to have that sickly whiter shade of pale look and feeling. So, what is the antidote to counteract that “feeling kinda seasick” kind of feeling?     

The Bible is filled with “be still” verses. One of those verses is Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” That verse sounds like good medicine, but, come on, seriously, how is it even possible these days? Let’s look at v.10 in its context. It comes near the end of a chapter that encompasses the idea of stillness in a world filled with utter chaos. A world in which control of is constantly fought for. Maybe a world much like the one we live in today. Before continuing, click here to read Psalm 46 in its entirety. 

This command to be still needs explaining to understand its meaning. This command to be still comes from the Hebrew verb raphah, which means to “be weak, to let go, to release.” It implies surrendering control. In Hebrew grammar, when there are coordinating imperatives (“be still” and “know”), the emphasis is on the second imperative. So, we are to be still (let go) in order to know (be sure) that God is in control. It means that we let go so that we can objectively know the saving power of God. It means we give up trusting in man and manmade things, so that we can know (experience) the sufficiency of God. I wrote about the sufficiency of God’s grace yesterday. Click here to read that writing. 

So, in a world that often causes us to look ghostly or even a whiter shade of pale, God promises us that in our giving up control (stillness), we will see (know) more and more of Him, regardless of what swirls around us. And more of more of God helps us, and allows us, to be still. Releasing control shifts from being a power struggle to being a promise. A promise that guides us, protects us, is refuge for us, even in a world that causes us to have a whiter shade of pale feeling.        

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