Let’s list secular songs that specifically refer to stories from the Bible.
I’m not merely talking about a song that namedrops Jesus, Moses, etc. And not a a traditional or spiritual number performed by a secular artist.
I mean a popular/secular song that references a specific story from either the old or new testament. We’ll also exclude songs from the stage or screen that are themselves Biblical adaptations (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Prince of Egypt, etc.)
For starters:
“Let’s Misbehave” (Cole Porter): When Adam won Eve’s hand, he wouldn’t stand for teasin’/He didn’t care about those apples out of season.
“Highway 61 Revisited” (Bob Dylan): Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”/Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on.”
“Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen): David and his music in the 1st verse, plus Your faith was strong but you needed proof/You saw her bathing on the roof in the 2nd
“Pride” (U2): Jesus isn’t mentioned by name, but given the context of the song, it’s obvious who One man betrayed with a kiss is.
“Fallin’” (Connie Francis): Like Delilah’s home in town/When Samson tore it down, plus Jericho reference, too
“The Call of the Wild” (David Byrne): God told Noah “Build an ark”
“There Once Was a Man” from The Pajama Game: Adam & Eve, There once was a man who loved a woman/She was the one he ate the apple for.
“It Aint’ Necessarily So” from Porgy and Bess lists David & Goliath, Moses in the river, Jonah in the whale, and even Methusalah.
“Miracle of Miracles” from Fiddler on the Roof also lists David & Goliath, plus Moses and the Red Sea, Daniel in the lion’s den, and Joshua & Jericho
“The Good Book Song” from A Mighty Wind mentions David & Goliath and Noah and the Ark.
Hard Headed Woman, performed by Elvis Presley (written by Claude Demetrius.) The three verses reference the stories of Adam and Eve, Samson and Delilah, and Ahab and Jezebel (though Ahab is just referred to as a King.)
There’s The Irish Rovers/Shel Silverstein’s “The Unicorn”, which is about how there aren’t any unicorns today because they procrastinated for too long and didn’t get on Noah’s ark.
And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water.
And he spent a long time watching from a lonely wooden tower.
And when he knew for certain only drowing men could see him
He said "All men shall be sailors then until the sea shall free them.
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open.
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone.
I would also put Tom Paxton’s “Jesus Christ SRO” in this catagory
Jesus, you’re making it big on Broadway.
Gosh, it’s good to see your name in lights.
Singing those rock and roll songs, by golly.
Betcha you learned them from Buddy Holly.
Bet you kept the heavenly angels up late at night.
A-picking up a backbeat.
