Introduction

Enter the realm of spiritual introspection with “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” by Johnny Cash. This haunting ballad, released in 2006, serves as a solemn reminder of the consequences of wrongdoing and the promise of divine justice. Join us as we explore the timeless power and eternal truths of this iconic spiritual anthem.Cash 2002 | Johnny cash, Johnny and june, Johnny cash june carter

Did You Know?

1. Traditional Folk Song:

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” is based on a traditional folk song that dates back to the early 20th century. Johnny Cash’s rendition of the song, released posthumously in 2006, brought new life to the timeless lyrics and introduced it to a new generation of listeners.

2. Biblical Themes:

The lyrics of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” draw upon biblical imagery and themes of divine judgment and redemption. The song warns of the consequences of sinful behavior and the inevitability of facing God’s wrath, making it a sobering meditation on the nature of morality and salvation.

3. Posthumous Release:

Johnny Cash’s recording of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” was released on his posthumous album, “American V: A Hundred Highways.” The song’s haunting melody and Cash’s gravelly voice lend it a sense of gravitas and authenticity, further enhancing its impact and resonance.

4. Legacy of Influence:

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” has been covered by numerous artists across different genres, attesting to its enduring popularity and cultural significance. Its timeless message and haunting melody continue to captivate listeners, inspiring reflection and introspection across generations.

5. Spiritual Resonance:

Beyond its commercial success, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” holds significant spiritual importance as a reminder of the universal principles of justice and redemption. Its solemn tone and powerful imagery evoke feelings of reverence and awe, inviting listeners to contemplate the mysteries of faith and morality.Johnny Cash lyrics to be collected in book for first time | Books | The  Guardian

Video

Lyrics: God’s Gonna Cut You Down

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you downGo tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head’s been wet with the midnight dew
I’ve been down on bended knee talkin’ to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel’s feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, “John go do My will!”

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down

You Missed

“He Died the Way He Lived — On His Own Terms.” That phrase haunted the night air when news broke: on April 6, 2016, Merle Haggard left this world in a final act worthy of a ballad. Some say he whispered to his family, “Today’s the day,” and he wasn’t wrong — he passed away on his 79th birthday, at home in Palo Cedro, California, after a long battle with pneumonia. Born in a converted boxcar in Oildale, raised in dust storms and hardship, Merle’s life read like a country novel: father gone when he was nine, teenage years tangled with run-ins with the law, and eventual confinement in San Quentin after a botched burglary. It was in that prison that he heard Johnny Cash perform — and something inside him snapped into motion: a vow not to die as a mistake, but to rise as a voice for the voiceless. By the time he walked free in 1960, the man who once roamed barrooms and cellblocks had begun weaving songs from scars: “Mama Tried,” “Branded Man,” “Okie from Muskogee” — each line steeped in the grit of a life lived hard and honest. His music didn’t just entertain — it became country’s raw pulse, a beacon for those who felt unheralded, unseen. Friends remembered him as grizzly and tender in the same breath. Willie Nelson once said, “He was my brother, my friend. I will miss him.” Tanya Tucker recalled sharing bologna sandwiches by the river — simple moments, but when God called him home, those snapshots shook the soul: how do you say goodbye to someone whose voice felt like memory itself? And so here lies the mystery: he died on his birthday. Was it fate, prophecy, or a gesture too perfect to dismiss? His son Ben once disclosed that a week earlier, Merle had told them he would go that day — as though he charted his own final chord. This is where the story begins, not ends. Because legends don’t vanish — they echo. And every time someone hums “Sing Me Back Home,” Merle Haggard lives again.