I sing a lament
of a nation divided
a strong man pulled down
right on down to his knees
But worse still and so infinitely
much more disturbing
is His much treasured family
chock full of the disease
For we spit and we sputter
with our tongues all unfurled
we devour and bite
we are just like the world
Oh, we cherish our freedom
grab on tight to our rights
leave behind the downtrodden
ignore all of their plights
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed too are the poor
Blessed are all who mourn
but don’t ask me to pay more
He told us we would suffer
but we run from the pain
He called this life temporary
but we build palaces in our name
We’ve refused to give grace
we’ve refused to shut up
when our feelings are pinched
we back up with a truck
Full of memes and blog postings
that we copy and paste
and we wound our dear brother
to our sister lay waste
And the enemy prowls
and the enemy seethes
and the enemy lies
and the enemy breathes
And we’ve stopped looking out
and we only look in
fighting fighting each other
he looks on with a grin
Oh your music is different
so much different than mine
and your interpretation
is not yet quite divine
Let me tell you the truth
that only me and mine know
and each “truth” with no love
wielding death with each blow
Oh our body it’s bleeding
can’t you see each sweet part
irreplaceable, magnificent
altogether, but apart
Because we’re losing this battle
each long day that goes by
we are self-amputating
can’t you hear His pained cry
Of My love they should learn
when they watch how you love
yet you’re ripping and tearing
as I still bleed up above
And the enemy laughs
my oh my does he scorn
for this day he has labored
since the day he was born
Oh dear Father forgive us
how we’ve trampled Your name
how we’ve scorned Your beloved
who don’t act quite the same
We’ve forgotten the words
and the warnings You gave
and we’re flying full tilt
once again to the grave
We are bleeding before You
ripped ourselves limb from limb
and if You don’t come to us swiftly
what comes next is quite grim
I sing this song of lament
from my knees, here’s my part
Yours alone to forgive
start with me, change my heart
God please knit us together
help us stand once again
side by side, hand in hand
turn our back to our sin
Help us forget what we want
look to You for our needs
open-handed, show the truth
for the truth the world pleads
Only You God are worthy
only You speak the truth
and the liar is strong
but he’s nothing like You
So we wait here together
we wait here on our knees
because we know You are faithful
and that You hear all our pleas
