Dont Pass Me By

Dusty roads, calloused feet,
The sun beats upon their heads.
They feel the pain, they touch the earth,
Embrace the sick in their beds.

A child lies in agony,
Her mama's none left to spare,
When open mouths anticipate
A little bit of milk from anywhere.

And across the landscape will be drawn a painting of true humanity.

Don't pass me by, the night's so long,
Don't ask me why it all went wrong.

Our human need is crying out
As greed eats to the marrow.
Do we ignore a suffering world just
To keep to the straight and narrow.

We turn aside to please ourselves,
And won't give the time of day,
To the victims of injustice in a world
When we turn and look and walk the other way.

And justifying ourselves we ask, is this my neighbor?

 Don't pass me by, the night's so long,
Don't ask me why it all went wrong.

But I believe that we could change
At least the world of just one life.

True love has a different face,
No place for condescending pride.
That's how it really ought to be,
Giving ourselves to those in need,
That's how it really ought to be.

Don't pass me by, the night's so long,
Don't ask me why it all went wrong.

 

Copyright © Phil Keaggy

The Harlot

I am broken
I am wounded
I am wretched and ashamed
and a harlot is like a chain around my neck
it's my name

she sings the song of humanity the song of you the song of me

they drag her through the city square
dragging her by her hair
she's kicking screaming and fighting X 2

I'm broken I'm wounded
I'm angry and afraid
and a harlot is like a chain around my neck
it's my name X2

she's faced down
there’s tangled hair
everywhere as she's crying in the dust
as the dust turns to mud on her face

there’s tangled hair
everywhere as she's crying in the dust
face down

open up o open up o ground beneath me
how long does it take to stone one harlot down

I know the law as well as they do and I’m guilty, guilty
an adulterer, and I know I know

O will this day never end
how long does it take to stone one harlot

I am broken
I am wounded
I am wretched and ashamed
and a harlot is like a chain around my neck, it's my name

as a congregation of the righteous gather round
they are ready to stone her down X2

and someone from that frenzied mob
shouts out, "let's take her to the Teacher
let's test Him and see what He will say!"

An eruption of agreement

as they take her by her hair
they drag her through the city square
they’re dragging her by her hair
she gave up the fight like a limp rag

they drag her through the city square
dragging her by her hair
she's faced down

I am broken I am wounded
I am angry and afraid
and a harlot is like a chain around my neck, it's my name
it's who I am

open up o open up o ground beneath me

it wasn't supposed to end this way
but I am guilty and I know it
I’ve got so many plans so much to do
but now it's too late
guilty and I know it

face down

-what is He doing-

as the congregation of the righteous gather round
they’re ready to stone her down
they throw her at the feet of a Teacher

"dare I look up?
surely they have brought me here to mock me.."

there’s tangled hair
everywhere as she's crying in the dust
as the dust turns to mud on her face

there’s tangled hair everywhere she's faced down in the dust
in the mud
and there is a hush
and the congregation

-what is He doing?-

time stands still

as the court of heaven was seated
there is a great throne of judgment
and there is the harlot and she is me
face down

looking through the tangled hair and the mud in my eyes

With a grimace I raise my gaze only to realize
I am surrounded by beauty that will never be mine
as regret like a wave came crushing over me

-if I had only known that such beauty was available
if I had only known but now it's too late-

and the accuser of the brethren was pacing back and forth and back and forth and to and fro
as he spat out his words

he was going back and forth and back and forth
he was listing off my sins one by one
and the thing was he was telling the truth
guilty guilty guilty guilty

and the great count of witnesses and the angels o the angels
looked on the scene

as the accuser of the brethren was going back and forth
glee in his eye
guilty guilty guilty guilty
and resounded to the corridor of eternity in time
like a thunder in my soul

he was right I was guilty
guilty to eternal damnation for my soul
and there was nothing I could there was nothing I could do
face down

face down
couldn't even open my eyes
the regret was so strong

there's a hand on my shoulder
a hand on my shoulder
and I hear a voice
like music in my ear
"dare I look up?"

I couldn't lift my eyes but all I saw
Were those beautiful feet
and I heard that voice like music
music to my soul

He said, "Father, I desire that she will be with me where i am.
show her my glory.

"Father, I desire this one
this one she is mine
she is mine
she is mine."

He was praying for my soul
He was pleading for my behalf

He was praying for me

I couldn't comprehend it
I couldn't understand what was going on

"Father, I desire that everything that's mine would be hers and everything that's hers would be mine.
"Father, Father, I desire this one, this one,
she is mine
she is mine
she is mine."

and all the heaven gasped unbelief
and I opened up my eyes
and I watched in wonder

this beautiful one stood to His feet

I looked up and there was a great throne and there was the Father
and He had a cup of wrath with my name on it
it had my name on it

and I was just about to rise to drink

guilty guilty guilty
but I watched in unbelief

As this beautiful one
He walked over to His Father
and took of the cup

and before I knew what was going on

He drank of the cup
He drank of the cup

He drank of the cup of the father's wrath
He drank of the cup of the marriage wine
He drank of the cup with my name on it
He drank of the cup
and oh the blood..

I jumped to my feet and I ran over to Him and it was too late

I tried to stop Him but I didn't know it was too late

and oh the blood
Oh the blood
Oh oh the blood

it should have been me

and I was weeping and weeping
and I ran over forgetting where i was
and I fell down
face down down and
o please Father crush Him

but it was too late

I began to plead it should have been me
it should have been me
but it was too late
why did He do it
but it was too late
and oh the blood X4

I was weeping weeping and crying it should have been me
it should have been me
face down

why did He do it? X2

it should have been me
was weeping and weeping
why did He gave His life
Oh the blood
was weeping and weeping

and I heard a whisper like music
"what's yours is Mine and what's Mine is yours"

I looked to the left
I looked to the right
and I was on a sea of glace like crystal

there was a great great great congregation dressed in white
from every tongue
from every tribe
from every people
and the music began
and a celebration erupted

and I opened up my eyes
and there was the Lamb
as though He was slain

and I was at a wedding
and I couldn't believe my eyes

I looked down
and I was dressed in garments
garments of beauty
and the music erupted and the angels sing hallelujah hallelujah the chore has broke out

and I looked out and saw the Lamb with eyes like fire radiating radiating with desire
and He said what's yours is Mine and what's Mine is yours

arise and sit on the throne, prepare for your beauty rise beauty rise, beauty rise

and we say with one heart and one voice
"worthy is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world"

"oh worthy is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world"

"worthy is the Lamb of God yeah,
who takes away the sins of the world" X2

we will marry the Lamb

Halle halle hallelujah
Halle halle hallelujah

we will marry the Lamb forever amen

and worthy is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world
worthy is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world

hallelujah hallelujah

there's gonna be a wedding
there's gonna be a wedding there's gonna be a wedding yeah people get ready

there's gonna be a wedding
there's gonna be a wedding there's gonna be a wedding people get ready 2x

there's gonna be a wedding
there's gonna be a wedding there's gonna be a wedding

what's yours is Mine and what's Mine is yours
who can comprehend where this is going
He said, "beauty arise, arise, arise"

© Misty Edwards & David Brymer