Michael Card (born April 11, 1957) is an American Christian singer-songwriter, musician, author, and radio host from Franklin, Tennessee. He is best known for his contributions in contemporary Christian music, which couple folk-style melodies and instrumentation with lyrics that stem from intensive study of the Bible. Since his debut in 1981, he has sold more than 4 million albums and has written 19 No. 1 singles. He has also authored several books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner A Sacred Sorrow.
Card was born in Madison, Tennessee as the son of a doctor and grandson of a Baptist minister. He received Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Biblical Studies from Western Kentucky University, and was awarded the university's "Distinguished Alumni Award" in 1997. His studies in physics and astronomy allowed him to support himself while a student by working for six years at a planetarium. As of 2005, he is working on a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Classical Literature.
Card never intended to be a professional musician. He got his start when his professor and mentor, Dr. William Lane, asked Card to write some music to accompany weekly sermons at their church. His friend, musician Randy Scruggs, then asked him to record a demo tape so Scruggs could get a job as a producer. The record label agreed to hire Scruggs as long as his first project was to produce an album featuring Card. Since then Card has released nineteen original albums and at least six compilation albums. Another album, Starkindler, is composed of Card's interpretations of traditional Celtic hymns. The compilations often include one or two new songs along with previously released material. With the exception of Starkindler, Card writes the vast majority of the music he records (although sometimes with collaborators).
They grew tired of bread form heaven
And of Moses and of God
They longed to live the life of slavery once again
So they muttered and they grumbled
And they wimpered and they whined;
With each faithless word, sank deeper into sin
He took the pen of pain once more
To write upon their hearts
The lesson they had been so slow to learn
But writing in the sand, the firey serpents came to
call
With a holy message and a bite that burned
Chorus:
Lift up the suffering symbol
And placve it high upon a pole
Tell the children to look up and be made whole
So Moses made a metal snake,
And nailed it to a pole
Sent out the saving word so they would know
That the symbol of their suffering was now the focus of
their faith
and with a faithful glance, the healing power would
flow
In time the brazen serpent became an idol in the land
And they left the living God to worship clay
When they forgot their suffering
Soon true faith had disappeared
So some idolize a brazen cross today
Chorus(X4)
Joy in the Journey (by Michael Card)
------------------
There is a joy in the journey,
there's a light we can love on the way.
There is a wonder and wildness to life,
and freedom for those who obey.
All those who seek it shall find i
a pardon for all who believe.
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind
To all who've been born of the Spirit
and who share incarnation with him;
who belong to eternity, stranded in time,
and weary of struggling with sin.
Forget not the hope
that's before you,
and never stop counting the cost.
Mother Mary cried as she held heaven her arms
For the shadow of the scar she saw was clear
As her own bewildered baby lay weeping for the world
Whose frightened tears would free us all from fear
The marks of death that God chose never to erase
The wounds of loves eternal war
When the kingdom comes with its perfected sons
He will be known by the scars
For a time He sought to tell the world He was the Way
That God the father had a human heart
With His own holy hands He sought
To touch and heal their scars
But they chose to tear those gentle hands apart
What was there to wipe away the tears
Firm the holy eyes of God
As He looked upon His one and only Son
Who'd never sin, no nigh, yet was crucified
The marks of death that God chose never to erase
The wounds of loves eternal war
When the kingdom comes with its perfected sons
He will be known by the scars
And after they had slain Him and laid Him in the grave
And the ones He loved had fled into the dark
Then His love and power raised Him
God won the victory
But they only recognized Him by the scars
The marks of death that God chose never to erase
The wounds of loves eternal war
When the kingdom comes with its perfected sons
Michael Card
(Philippians 3:10)
Echo of history
A light so many strain to see
The One we talk so much about
But rarely ever live it out
Could You tell me why
Was it for this You came and died
A once a week observance
When we coldly mouth Your words
Chorus
Lord I long to see
Your presence in reality
But I don't know how
Let me know You in the now
We should confess
We lose You in our busyness
We've made You in our image
So our faith's idolatry
Lord, deliver me
Break my heart so I can see
All the ways You dwell in us
That You're alive in me
Michael Card
Jesus let us come to know you
Let us see you face to face
Touch us, hold us, use us, mold us
Only let us live in you
Jesus draw us ever nearer
Hold us in your loving arms
Wrap us in your gentle presence
Jacob's Star (by Michael Card)
------------
A fire, a light, a shining star
A sign to those who'd journey far
A token from the the King of heaven
A spark as to the Light of the world
A beacon burning in the night
A star to echo endless lig
A darkened world, a light from a stable
And high above the heavens ablaze
A Star will rise from Jacob's house
A Scepter out of Israel
And though thou art the least in Judah
Oe'r thee, O Bethlehem, His light will shine
A Light of hope to everyon
A Light outshining every sun
A Light the world has not comprehended
Michael Card
Chorus 1
How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be
Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my love
Chorus 2
Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, How can I raise a king
He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be
Chorus 2
Michael Card
Jesus loves me, I know it's true
Because He died for me and He died for you
When I think of all the pain that He went through
I want the world to know and I want to shout the news
Chorus
Jesus loves me, this I know
It's not just the Bible that tells me so
I can feel it, feel it in my soul
Jesus loves me, this I know
Jesus loves me, how can it be
That the only Son of God should care for me
To take away my sin and set me free
To take my life and make it all it's meant to be
Chorus
Jesus loves me, he loves you too
You can't understand it all just believe it's true
He'll take away your old heart give you one that's new
You'll feel the walls come down
As His love comes breaking through
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
He calls His sons and daughters
To the wilderness
But He gives grace sufficient
To survive any test
And that's the painful purpose
Of the wilderness
In the wilderness we wander
In the wilderness we weep
In the wasteland of our wanting
Where the darkness seems so deep
We search for the beginning
For an exodus to hold
We find that those who follow Him
Must often walk alone
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
He calls His sons and daughters
To the wilderness
But He gives grace sufficient
To survive any test
And that's the painful purpose
Of the wilderness
In the wilderness we're wondering
For a way to understand
In the wilderness there's not a way
For the ways become a man
And the man's become the exodus
The way to holy ground
Wandering in the wilderness
Is the best way to be found
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
He calls His sons and daughters
In the wilderness
But He gives grace sufficient
To survive any test
And that's the painful purpose
Of the wilderness
Groaning and growing
Amidst the desert days
The windy winter wilderness
Can blow the self away
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
He calls His sons and daughters
To the wilderness
But He gives grace sufficient
To survive any test
And that's the painful purpose
Of the wilderness
And that's the painful promise
Michael Card
Trembling with fear, alone in the garden
Battle before the final war
Blood became tears, there in the garden
To fall upon the silent stone
There in the darkness the Light
And the darkness stood still
Two choices, one tortured will
And there once the choice had been made
All the world could be saved by the One in the garden
The light of the dawn, was seen in the garden
By gentle eyes so sadly wise
The angels appear, they come to the garden
Clothed with sighs, they realize
The One they adored from the start
Will be broken apart
By the ones He had come to save
So their here simply now to be near
Trust in me, keep your life free
From what the love of money will do
Am I not enough for you?
Never will I leave you. That's something I'll never do
Forever remember that it's true
Never will I leave you
And when you fear, The scars and tears
Remember what I have sworn
I'll be with you through the storm
Never will I leave you, That something I'd never do
Forever remember that it's true
Never will I leave you
And when you fear
That's when I'm near
Your soul's security
Oh, when will you believe?
Never will I leave you. That's something I'll never do
Forever remember that it's true
Never will I leave you
I saw the Holy City
Descending from the sky
So brilliant with the light of God
The city is His bride
There is no temple in this town
No sun, no moon, no lamp
For God's own glory is it's light
Illuminated by the Lamb
And God Himself will wipe the tears
From every weeping eye
No death, no pain, no mourning cry
And every tear made dry
CHORUS:
And now our God will dwell with them
The new Jerusalem
And He Himself will walk with them
The new Jersulaem
And so let all of those who thirst
Come now and drink for free
And to the one who overcomes
Come now and you will see
Behold the old has passed away
Now everything is new
The Alpha and Omega's words
Are trustworthy and so true
And God Himself will wipe the tears
From every weeping eye
No death, no pain, no mourning cry
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them, springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
Esai enai
El heharim
Me-ayim yavo ezri
Ezri meyim Adonai
Ose shamayim va-aretz
El yaten lamot ranlecha
El yanum shomrecha
Hine lo yanum
Va-lo ishan
Shomer yisrael
I lift up my eyes
Unto the hills
From whence shall come my help?
My help is from the LORD God
Maker of heaven and earth
He will not give to the moving of your foot
Nor shall slumber He Who keeps thee
Behold He'll not slumber
Nor will He sleep
Long ago, He blessed the earth
Born older than the years
And in the stall the cross He saw
Through the first of many tears
A life of homeless wandering
Cast out in sorrow's way
The Shepherd seeking for the lost
His life, the price He paid
Love crucified arose
The risen One in splendor
Jehovah's sole defender
Has won the victory
Love crucified arose
And the grave became a place of hope
For the heart that sin and sorrow broke
Is beating once again
Throughout Your life You've felt the weight
Of what You'd come to give
To drink for us that crimson cup
So we might really live
At last the time to love and die
The dark appointed day
That one forsaken moment when
Your Father turned His face away
Love crucified arose
The One who lived and died for me
Was Satan's [Incomprehensible] casualty
Now He's breathing once again
Love crucified arose
And the grave became a place of hope
For the heart that sin and sorrow broke
Is beating once again
Love crucified arose
The risen One in splendor
Jehovah's sole defender
Has won the victory
Love crucified arose
And the grave became a place of hope
For the heart that sin and sorrow broke
Is beating once again
Love crucified arose
The One who lived and died for me
Was Satan's [Incomprehensible] casualty
Reluctant ride in the middle of the belly of a whale
A wheel on fire in the middle of the sky
Abandoned baby kicking on the side of the road
And a wife has died but you're denied the right to cry
Three men walk out protected from a furnace of flame
One man cries out from a miry well
See a man in the myrtles and women with the wind in their
wings
Understand what these seared lips can tell
Chorus:
I am the prophet and I smolder and burn
I scream and cry and wonder why you never seemed to learn
To hear with your own ears with your own eyes to see
I am the prophet, won't you listen to me?
I am the prophet, won't you listen to me?
I hold out hope to everyone who hears and understands
The Word of God can echo in the voice of a man
He's the shadow of a great rock in a dry and weary land
With the names of the ones He loved carved into His hands
CHORUS
The sorrow in His anger, my eyes weep His tears
His life alight in me
I am the sword that cuts His people apart
Michael Card
Ephesians 1:9
When I consider the secret
of the One who dwells in me
That there is truly a presence in
The heart for all who believe
To listen to a silent call,
The quiet hunger to give it all
As the river seeks to be
Forgotten in the sea
My life is hidden in Thee
In Him we live, in Him we move
In Him all things are made new
The mystery of life in Christ
Is Christ can live in you
I hear the silence, it's clamoring
There is only Christ, He is everything
Like a moth 'round the flame
Drawn to the light and pain
My life is hidden in Thee
Michael Card
Saved by His death, healed by His pain
Raised to new life to never die again
Before you can have the hope of the call
You've got to give it all
It sounds to good to be true
That the Son of God should die for you
That it could give you the key
To open up your life and set you free
But that's not all of the story
There's something that He gave you
That you got to pay
No matter what that good time gospel tells you
The battle is uphill all the way
Chorus
Livin' we die, dying we live
Givin' it all is what you've got to give
Just look to the Lord and all that He gave
When He died to save you
Saved by His death, healed by His pain
Raised to new life to never die again
Before you can have the hope of the call
You've got to give it all
They sell you a thousand creeds
But you know they're as worthless
As the withered weeds
And as their preaching all of the while
The devil is standing with his backward smile
Cause there's just one Truth
And there's just one Way
And He's a person not a plan
He's not a cold denomination
He's a livin' breathin' man
They grew tired of bread form heaven
And of Moses and of God
They longed to live the life of slavery once again
So they muttered and they grumbled
And they wimpered and they whined;
With each faithless word, sank deeper into sin
He took the pen of pain once more
To write upon their hearts
The lesson they had been so slow to learn
But writing in the sand, the firey serpents came to
call
With a holy message and a bite that burned
Chorus:
Lift up the suffering symbol
And placve it high upon a pole
Tell the children to look up and be made whole
So Moses made a metal snake,
And nailed it to a pole
Sent out the saving word so they would know
That the symbol of their suffering was now the focus of
their faith
and with a faithful glance, the healing power would
flow
In time the brazen serpent became an idol in the land
And they left the living God to worship clay
When they forgot their suffering
Soon true faith had disappeared
So some idolize a brazen cross today
Chorus(X4)
Michael Card
You are the Light of the World oh Lord
You make Your servants shine
So how could there be any darkness in me
If You are the Light of the World
You are the Light of the World
You are the Bread of Life oh Lord
Broken to set us free
So how could there be any hunger in me
If You are the Bread of Life
You are the Bread of Life
You've overcome the world oh Lord
And given us victory
So how could I fear when trouble is near
If You've overcome the world
You've overcome the world
Wipe every tear away oh Lord
And teach us the song of the Lamb
The promise is true but it's still up to You
To wipe every tear away
Wipe every tear away
Michael Card
I am an old rabbi
Where's the Child who was here only yesterday
How my heart started to beat as I sat at His feet
For the things He'd say
The questions I asked Him
Had weighed on my mind an eternity
But the self-righteous show
I had made my disguise
It started to slip as I looked in His eyes
So rather than stay, for my pride's sake
I walked away
Chorus
Come listen awhile to the voice of the Child
Stand in awe of the wisdom of God
Hear what He has to say
For the time is today
You can come or just walk away
Then late in the night I awoke to a voice
Deep inside of me
It was gentle and mild like the voice of a child
My mind's eye could see
It spoke of the promises
Made to my people through Abraham
And at once all the prophecies made sense to me
I'd studied them so long
Why couldn't I see
In one holy moment I knew the Messiah was He
Repeat Chorus
I am an old rabbi
Where's the Child who was here only yesterday
How my heart started to beat as I sat at His feet
For the things He'd say
I've just got to find him
Hear the roaring at the rim of the world
See what every eye shall see
Behold He's coming with the clouds
Setting all the captives free
And those who longed to see this day
Will tremble with delight
As a sea of upturned faces there
Is bathed in endless light
CHORUS:
I am the Alpha and the Omega
The One who is and was and is to come
Though I was dead, now I'm alive forever
Don't be afraid
I hold the keys
And I have come
Once the just and gentle Victim
Who is seemed was born to die
See Him now, a blaze of glory
As He moves across the sky
And that majestic silhouette
Who's come to take His bride
Still bears the healing wounds
Upon His hands and feet and side
CHORUS
The great unveiling of our hope
The promised Jubilee
The revelation of our God
There sits Simon,
so foolishly wise
proudly he's tending his nets
Then Jesus calls,
and the boats drift away
all that he owns he forgets
More than the nets
he abandoned that day,
he found that his pride was soon drifting away
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind
Matthew was mindful
of taking the tax,
pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call,
he responded in faith
followed the Light and the Way
Leaving the people
so puzzled he found,
the greed in his heart
was no longer around and
it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
we leave behind
Every heart needs to be set free,
from possessions
that hold it so tight
'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own,
It's the power
to do what is right
Jesus, our only possession,
giving becomes our delight
We can't imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind
We show a love for the world in our lives
by worshiping goods we possess
Jesus has laid all our treasures aside
"love God above all the rest"
'Cause when we say 'no'
to the things of the world
we open our hearts
to the love of the Lord and
it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind
Oh, and it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
They Called Him Laughter (by Michael Card)
------------------------
A barren land and a barren wife,
Made Abraham laugh at his wandering life.
A cruel joke it seemed then to call him the father of nations.
A heavenly prank, a celesti
al joke,
Cause gray hair and babies leave no room for hope.
But hoping was something this hopeless old man learned to do.
Chorus: They called him laughter, for he came after,
The Father had made an impossible promise come true.
The birth of a baby to
a hopeless old lady,
So they called him laughter, cause no other name would do.
A cry in the darkness and laughter at night,
An elderly couple sit holding him tight.
An improbable infant, a punchline, a promise come true.
They laughed 'til they wept
, then they laughed at their tears.
This miracle baby they'd wanted for years,
Then They Will Know (by Michael Card)
(A song of God's inner life)
----------------------------
I will speak
I will wait
I will send prophets among them
That they might hear
That they might see
And understand how much I love
them
Then they will know that I am Father
They they will know I am Lord
They'll walk with Me
And be My people
I'll walk with them as their God
as their God
I will strike
I will scourge
And carry out vengeance upon them
But I will heal the woun
ds I make
And tenderly take them back to me
Then they will know that I am Father
They they will know I am Lord
They'll walk with Me
And be My people
I'll walk with them as their God
This is heaven
This is salvation
This is their great hope and M
He will come
My own Son
A Word faithful hearts can't help hearing
And by His death
With His last breath
A Father's forgiveness comes flowing
Then they will know
That I am Savior
I am Redeemer and Friend
Immanuel
The God who is with them
The God who gives all He can
He is salvation
He is the kingdom
To know Him is paradise
Then they will know that I am Father
They they will know I am Lord
The word is so near
To your heart and your tongue
With the one you confess and acknowledge the Son
With the other believe and are justified
And find life in knowing it was for you he died
No its not up in heaven
Where your thoughts could not reach
Nor beyond the ocean
On some distant beach
No, the word is so near
In the innermost part
It's alive on your lips
Heb. 13:1, 4, 8f, 13, 25
Grace Be With You All
Remember to love one another
And do what is pleasing to Him
Be strengthened by grace
And worship in reverence and awe
The God of peace
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with all things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
Forget not the sufferings of Jesus
And bear the disgrace that He bore
Confessing His name, for Christ is the same
Yesterday, today and forever
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with all things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with good things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
And grace be with you all
In the beginning was the beginning
And in it all began
All that they had was God and the garden
The woman and the man
Before creation learned to groan
The stars would dance and sing
Each moment was new, every feeling was fresh
For the creature king and queen
But deep in the heart of that beautiful garden
Forbidden truth was found
That they were deceived, disobeyed and were driven
From that holy ground
But beside the tree of disobedience
The tree of life did grow
The gift of its fruit and eternal beginning
But they would never know
The beginning will make all things new
New life belongs to Him
He hands us each new moment saying
My child begin again
My child begin again
You're free to start again
This very moment is filled with His power
That we might start anew
To break us away from the past and the future
He does what He must do
And so the Alpha brings to us
This moment to commence
To live in the freedom of total forgiveness
With reckless confidence, with reckless confidence
The beginning will make all things new
New life belongs to Him
He hands us each new moment saying
My child, begin again
My child, begin again
You're free to start again
The beginning will make all things new
New life belongs to him
He hands us each new moment, saying
My child, begin again
My child, begin again
Come out of her, my people, and never go back again
For all her vulgar vanities have been heaped up as high
as heaven
The nations drank her maddening wine
Now God remembered all her crimes
She'll be paid back double for all that she has done
CHORUS:
Fallen, fallen, fallen is Babylon
Fallen, fallen, fallen is the City of Doom
The queen of every dark desire
Fallen by famine, plague, and fire
Fallen is Babylon
Fallen is the City of Doom
Never will the sound of a song be heard in you again
Nor the voice of the bride and the bridegroom
Nor the echo of the workers' din
Your merchants were the world's great men
By consumption's cult, your greed and sin
And you'll become a spectacle
They weep and mourn and cry
CHORUS
Woe, woe is Babylon
City of great power
Behold your doom, you'll be consumed
In one single hour
Fallen, fallen, fallen, is Babylon
Fallen, fallen you City of Doom
Who do people say I am?
Do you think they understand?
Messiah's suffering
Salvation brings
Oh, but Jesus, you're not that kind of king
Oh, but Jesus, you're not that kind of king
You come in power to take your throne
You'll show your glory in Jerusalem
It's what the crowds are claimming
Oh, but Jesus, is not that kind of king
He has come to suffer and He has come to die
Curcified in weakness and you may wonder why
He who called the angles
Michael Card
Chorus
Don't you know the battle's raging
And you got to join the fight
There's an army of the darkness
And an army of the Light
There's a side that fights for Satan
And a side that's for the Lord
And on this battle field there are no rusty swords
And on this battle field there are no rusty swords
Christ has made the final move
So our side is sure to win
He became like us so we would have
A chance to be like Him
It seems strange so many fall back
When the victory has been won
You just need to ask yourself
Which side you're on
Chorus
There's a fact you need to understand
Before you join our side
You need to know when Jesus calls
He bids you come and die
He's invaded Satan's kingdom
And He's claiming all His own
When the battle's over
He will lead us home
Chorus
The Kingdom
So near and yet still so far, far away
So close, and yet still to come
Concealed, the seed is mysteriously growing
In hearts that will listen and hear
A treasure that's hidden, a pearl of great price
A fortune for fools who believe
A kingdom of beauty, a kingdom of love
A kingdom of justice and peace
A kingdom that holds all the wilds of creation
A kingdom where children will lead
For now this kingdom's a land of the lowly
A place for the tired, plundered poor
Now our gentle King comes in peace on a donkey
But then on a charger for war
A battle in heaven, a war on the earth
To shatter the long darkened siege
Not by our own strength
And not by the power of might
But by His Spirit it comes
Blinded eyes will see
And deafened ears will hear
Michael Card
Mark 11:12-18 & Luke 19:45-47
Weak from the journey, the long travelling days
Hungry to worship, to join in the praise
Shock mad with anger that burned on His face
As He entered the wasteland of that barren place
Chorus
And the Lamb is a Lion who's roaring with rage
At the empty religion that's filling their days
They'll flee from the harm
Of the Carpenter's strong arm
And come to know the scourging anger of the Lord
Priests and the merchants demanded some proof
For their hearts were hardened and blind to the Truth
But Satan's own law is to sell and to buy
But God's only way is to give and to die
Chorus
The noise and confusion gave way to His word
At last sacred silence so God could be heard
He is the good shepherd,
Laid down his life for his sheep;
So out of many nations
He's gathered one fold in one faith;
And he has built his church
On the rock foundation of faith,
On apostles and prophets
Who shepherd his people in his place.
Chorus:
There is one faith,
One hope,
And one baptism,
One God and Father of all;
There is one church,
One body,
One life in the spirit
Now given so freely to all.
He came to Simon Peter
And to all of the Twelve,
The keys of the kingdom
So darkness would never prevail.
But some of the shepherds,
Have pastured themselves on their sheep
So He has come out against them;
And scattered His people of faith.
But there still is
one faith,
One hope,
And one baptism,
One God and Father of all;
There is one church,
One body,
One life in the spirit
Now given so freely to all.
In good pastures
He will shepherd his people,
On the mountain tops
He is reshaped;
He will lead the
Forever afflicted
To the prisoners
He brings relief
There is one faith,
One hope,
And one baptism,
One God and Father of all;
There is one church,
One body,
One life in the spirit
Now given so freely to all.
But He'll not forsake His people,
He'll claim His sheep for His own.
He'll send out His word to the nations,
Regather His people back home
For He is the good shepherd,
Laid down His life for His sheep;
So out of many nations
He's gathered one fold in one faith,
There is one faith,
One hope,
And one baptism,
One God and Father of all;
There is one church,
One body,
One life in the spirit
Now given so freely,
Given so freely,
Michael Card
That old man in the temple
Waiting in the court
Waiting for the answer to a promise
And all at once he sees them
In the morning sunshine
A couple come and carry in a baby
Chorus
Now that I've held Him in my arms
My life can now come to an end
Let Your servant now depart in peace
Cause I've seen Your salvation
He's the Light of the Gentiles
And the glory of His people Israel
Marry and the baby come
And in her hand five shekels
The price to redeem her baby boy
The baby softly cooing
Nestled in her arms
Simeon takes the boy and starts to sing
Chorus
Now's the time to take Him in your arms
Your life will never come to an end
He's the only way that you'll find peace
He'll give you salvation cause
He's the Light of the Gentiles
Michael Card
The seers and the prophets had foretold it long ago
That the long awaited one would make men stumble
But they were looking for a king to conquer and to kill
Who'd have ever thought He'd be so weak and humble
Chorus
He will be the truth that will offend them one and all
A stone that makes men stumble
And a rock that makes them fall
Many will be broken so that He can make them whole
And many will be crushed and lose their own soul
Along the path of life there lies a stubborn Scandalon
And all who come this way must be offended
To some He is a barrier, To others He's the way
For all should know the scandal of believing
Chorus
It seems today the Scandalon offends no one at all
The image we present can be stepped over
Could it be that we are like the others long ago
Will we ever learn that all who come must stumble
Most of us will never know
How dark this world can seem
When life becomes more nightmare than a dream.
So to all of you who have survived
A visit to the edge,
I trust that you will understand this pledge.
Chorus:
I promise I will always leave
The darkness for the light.
I swear by all that's holy
I will not give up the fight.
I'll drink down death like water
Before I ever come again
To that dark place where I might make
The choice for life to end.
I've found that as I travelled
Through the inscape of my land
That mountaintops make valleys in between.
And when that nameless sadness
Like a cloud comes over me
I look back on all the brightness I have seen.
CHORUS
Bridge:
I realize that though my world
Might seem so torn apart,
Most often it is joy that breaks the heart.
And that I am the richest man
Though I must beg for bread,
For the very One who might condemn
Has called me friend instead.
CHORUS
I will always leave the darkness for the light.
Michael Card
See the sorrow untold, as you look down the road
At the clamoring crowd drawing near
Feel the heat of the day, as you look down the way
Hear the shouts of Hosanna the King
Chorus
Oh, daughter of Zion your time's drawing near
Don't forsake Him, oh don't pass it by
On the foal of a donkey as the prophets have said
Passing by you, He rides on to die
Come now little foal, though your not very old
Come and bear your first burden bravely
Walk so softly upon all the coats and the palms
Bare the One on your back oh so gently
Midst the shouting so loud and the joy of the crowd
There is One who is riding in silence
For He knows the ones here will be fleeing in fear
When their shepherd is taken away
Chorus
Soon the thorn cursed ground will bring forth a crown
And this Jesus will seem to be beaten
But He'll conquer alone both the shroud and the stone
And the prophesies will be completed
Chorus
On the foal of a donkey as the prophets have said
Psalm 146:5
Michael Card
The Gentle Healer came into our town today
He touched blind eyes and the darkness left to stay
More than the blindness, He took their sins away
The Gentle Healer came into our town today
The Gentle Healer came into our town today
He spoke one word that was all He had to say
The One who had died just rose up straight away
The Gentle Healer came into our town today
Oh, He seems like just in ordinary man
With dirty feet and rough but gentle hands
The words He says are hard to understand
And, Yet, He seems like just and ordinary man
The Gentle Healer, He left our town today
I just looked around and found He'd gone away
Some folks from town had followed Him, They say
Creation's seventh sunrise
We stand before the burning bush of time
The six days were good / The seventh he called holy,
Creation's seventh sunrise
We wake and go to work six days a week
To struggle with the strain and stress
But the Lord's provided for the care of our souls
A day to rejoice and rest
Creation's seventh sunrise
We stand before the burning bush of time
The six days were good / The seventh he called holy,
Creation's seventh sunrise
Come see a sanctuary made of time
Come speak forgotten words of prayer / It call us
Come away from your dissonant days
Come out, leave your worries there
Creation's seventh sunrise
We stand before the burning bush of time
The six days were good / The seventh he called holy,
Creation's seventh sunrise
The promise of that rest still stands
To all who would be free
And though we might be bound by time, we can taste
So Many Books
Michael Card
A D2 E F#m D A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
vamp:
A D2 E F#m D A E
|:[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]:|
There is a hunger, a longing for bread
E A E/G#
And so comes the call for the poor to be fed
F#m7 Bm7
More hungry by far are a billion and more
D A E A
Who wait for the Bread of the Word of the Lord
Chorus:
A D E F#m DAD E
So many books, so little time, so many hunger, so many
blind
A E F#m
Starving for words, they must wait in the night
D A E A
To open a Bible and move towards the Light
VAMP
There'll come a time, the prophets would say
When the joy of mankind will be withered away
A want not for water, but a hunger for more
A famine for hearing the Word of the Lord
CHORUS
D A E F#m
...To open a Bible and move towards the Light,
DA E A
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
D A/C#
The Word won't go out, except it return
F#m E
Full, over flowing and so we must learn
A D E F#mD A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
A D E F#m D A E
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
CHORUS
D A E F#m
To open a Bible and move towards the Light
DA E F#m
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
DA E A
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
A D E F#mD A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
A D E F#m D A E A
Reject the worldly lie that says,
That life lies always up ahead,
Let power go before control becomes a crust around your
soul,
Escape the hunger to possess,
And soul-diminishing success,
This world is full of narrow lives,
I pray by grace your smile survives.
Chorus- For I would wander weary miles,
Would welcome ridicule, my child,
To simply see the sunrise of your smile,
To see the light behind your eyes,
The happy thought that makes you fly,
Yes, I would wander weary miles,
To simply see the sunrise of your smile.
Now close your eyes so you can see,
Your own unfinished memories,
Now open them, for time is brief,
And you'll be blest beyond belief,
Now glance above you at the sky,
There's beauty there to blind the eye,
I ask all this then wait awhile,
To see the dawning of your smile.
Michael Card
Chorus
Tell the world that Jesus loves you
Tell them you've found a forever friend
You've opened up your heart's door to Him
The love of Jesus has no end
You can choose what not to believe in
You can deny there's a heaven above
But once you take a look at Jesus
There's no denying that God is Love
Chorus
If you want to show that you really love Him
If you want to prove that your love is true
Then you'll obey the word He's spoken
And do all the things He's commanded you to
Michael Card
Galatians 3 & Romans 3:22
Chorus
To hear with my heart
To see with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way that I cannot see
That's what faith must be
When the universe fell from His fingertips
He decided He wanted some fellowship
But the man and the woman would not submit
So He made a better way
When the moment was right He sent His own Son
And He opened the way so that everyone
Could have hope and believe that when time was done
He'd be able to make us one
Chorus
Now I understand that there is a key
It's Jesus in me, a reality
That God is in Christ and that Christ's in me
That with faith I see what is unseen
Chorus
In an upstairs room, a parable
Is just about to come alive.
And while they bicker about who's best,
With a painful glance, He'll silently rise.
Their Savior Servant must show them how
Through the will of the water
And the tenderness of the towel.
Chorus:
And the call is to community,
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
In humility, to take the vow,
That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.
In any ordinary place,
On any ordinary day,
The parable can live again
When one will kneel and one will yield.
Our Saviour Servant must show us how
Through the will of the water
And the tenderness of the towel.
Bridge:
And the space between ourselves sometimes
Is more than the distance between the stars.
By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow
Don't know what he sees in me
He is spirit, he is free
And I, the wife of adultery
Gomer is my name.
Simply more than I can see
How he keeps on forgiving me;
How he keeps his sanity
Hosea, you're a fool.
Chorus:
A fool to love someone like me,
A fool to suffer silently;
Though sometimes through your eyes I see
I'd rather be a fool.
The fondness of a father,
The passion of a child;
The tenderness of a loving friend
An understanding smile.
All of this and so much more,
You've lavished on a faithless whore
I've never known love like this before
Hosea, you're a fool.
Chorus:
A fool to love someone like me,
A fool to suffer silently;
Though sometimes through your eyes I see
I'd rather be a fool.
Bridge:
This God of yours would not have told
To lift a love that you couldn't hold;
And though time and time again I flee,
I'm always glad to see you coming after me!
Simply more than I can see,
How he keeps on forgiving me
The wife of adultery;
Though the wind is ragin all around
And even though the waves may rise
There's a place of stillness in the storm
And you can find it if you will believe
It's a soul anchor, Hold on to the hope
It is a soul anchor, Just hold on to your courage
Before we call, He answers us with hope
We are so sure of what we're waiting for
And certain of the things we do not see
For we are told by the One who cannot lie
And in this hope is our security
It's a soul anchor, Hold on to the hope
It is a soul anchor, Just hold on to your courage
Before we call, He answers us with hope
So hold fast, draw near / So hold fast, draw near
It's a soul anchor
Hold onto the hope / It's a soul anchor
Just hold on to your courage / Before we call He answers
I thought that I heard crying coming through my door.
Was it Rachel weeping for her sons who were no more?
Could it have been the babies crying for themselves,
Never understanding that they died for someone else
A voice is heard of weeping and of wailing,
History speaks of it on every page.
Of innocent and helpless little babies,
Offerings to the spirit of the age.
No way of understanding this sad and painful sign.
Whenever Satan rears his head there comes a tragic time.
If he could crush the cradle, then that would stop the
cross.
He knew that once the Light was born his every hope was
lost!
Now every age had heard it, this voice that speaks from
hell.
"Sacrifice your children and for you it will be well."
The subtle serpent's lying, his dark and ruthless rage.
Behold it is revealed to be the spirit of the age!
Soon all the ones who seemed to die for nothing
Will stand beside the Ancient of Days,
With joy we'll see that Infant from a manger
Michael Card
In the early morning mist
They saw a Stranger on the sea shore
He some how seemed familiar
Asking what the night had brought
With taught anticipation then
They listen to His order
And pulling in the net
Found more than they had ever caught
The one He loved first recognized
The stranger there was Jesus
And he alone remembered
This had happened once before
The one who had denied Him
Who had once walked on the water
Jumped in and swam to Him
To be confronted on the shore
Chorus
You need to be confronted
By the Stranger on the shore
You need to have Him search your soul
You need to hear the call
You need to learn exactly
What it means for you to follow
You need to realize that He's asking for your all
The meal He had prepared for them
Was waiting on the fire
The smell of bread
The sizzle of the fish upon the coals
The laughter and the joy
That once more being all together
They didn't realize that He was searching all their souls
Then came the painful questions
That would pierce the soul of Simon
A three fold chance to reaffirm the love he had denied
The gentle eyes that saw his heart
And waited for an answer
Had seen the look upon his face
The moment he had lied
Chorus
Now realize that you must
Face and answer all His questions
As you stand before the Stranger
Is not He who formed the ear
Worth the time it takes to hear?
Should He who formed our lips for speaking
Be not heeded when He speaks?
Will you not listen?
Why won't you listen?
God has spoken love to us
Why will you not listen?
Listen to the sacred silence
Listen to the Holy Word
Listen as He speaks through living
Parables that must be heard
Will you not listen?
Why won't you listen?
God has spoken peace to us
Why will you not listen?
He spoke a word of flesh and blood
Flesh and blood that bled and died
Bled and died just to be heard
How could you not hear this Word?
Why will you not hear this Word?
Will you not listen?
Why won't you listen?
God has spoken hope to us
How could you not listen?
Why will you not listen?
Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord
Why did he use a kiss to show them
That's not what a kiss is for
Only a friend can betray a friend
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain
And why did there have to be thorny
Crown pressed upon His head
It should have been the royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead
It had to be a crown of thorns
Because in this life that we live
For all who seek to love
A thorn is all the world has to give
And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bare
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there
It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay
And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away
Yes, Jesus had come into the world
I wept, for none was worthy to open the scroll
Or to look upon what it contained
Then a voice said, "See the Lion of the Tribe of Judah"
So I looked to the Lion
And saw a Lamb that was slain
You are worthy to take up and open the scroll
For You are the Lamb that was slain
Glory and honor to the One on the throne
To the Lamb Who lives and reigns
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
To receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength
And honor and glory and praise evermore
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
From every tribe and language
Every people and nation
Your blood purchased men for God
You won them a kingdom by Your salvation
And made them priests to serve our God
Who Can Abide?
A mighty storm is rising
A darkness in the land
But surely this must be a light
To those who understand
That all the prisoners of this Hope
Are about to be set free
As in one lightning moment
A familiar face at last they see
Who can abide the day of His Coming?
Who can withstand the final Call?
If you do not stand by faith
You will not stand at all
You will not stand at all
The Valley of Decision
Begins to overflow
With some confused, bewildered
And some who seem to know
That this sad separation
Was their choice so they can tell
He simply speaks the sentence
That they have passed upon themselves
Surely this must be our God
Behold the One we trusted in
He has come at last to save us
what makes the world want to go on turning?
why do the stars chose to shine?
who tells the moon when to change its face?
what moves the sun in a line?
as he looked at the world of his father's hand
so much he wanted to understand
his countless questions, his curios joy
when jesus was a boy
why are some people so unforgiving?
when did the sorrow begin?
how do the hungry ones go on living?
is this how they suffer for sin?
his sweet simplicity wondered why
this is a world where we all must die?
the darkness of doubt he could not avoid
when jesus was a boy
after all, it's the children's task
that they should wonder, that they should ask
their very own questions about this world
for every boy and girl
And so you should not be ashamed of asking
No matter how pointless it seems
But know there are questions that have no answers
How do you capture the ascents of angels?
How do you put words to the taste of their light?
You cannot describe how their words burn right thru you
How you became dizzy with heart pounding fright
In the midst of your fear, how they sang you a song
To the glory of God most High
How all of a sudden, that when they departed
That they left a hole in the sky
How do you worship a king in a cattle trough?
When you cannot bow any lower than he?
And what king of gift to give Someone with nothing?
In humiliating humility
Wrapped up in rags, what a heart-breaking sign
Yet on his sweet face, what a delight
The darkness that prows here cannot comprehend
This impossibly bright point of light
So everyone listened in awe and amazement
To all we’d been told ‘bout this beautiful boy
But Mary, his mother, she wordlessly wondered
And pondered her treasure of joy
Who could conceive how the Savior was born
In a place only fit for the cattle to feed
His poverty made him our perfect Provision
The one hope for our every need
2010 Covenant Artists, ASCAP
guitar, vocals, Michael Card
bass, Keith Compton
Michael Card
Until Your Son called out to me I was lost
For years my cradle swung above the grave
It is a wondrous thing to be adopted by a king
To know a love that crowns and crucifies
When Your Spirit moves I breath a prayer to You
A cry not from my mouth but from the heart
Because the Spirit came, I can use Your holy name
The tender name a son could only use
Chorus
Abba Father, Abba Father
Since that word became Your adoptive name
Abba Father, I cry out to You
Knowing You will hear my plea
For You've adopted me
Your Spirit of adoption came and filled my heart
To smile upon the earth behind my eyes
Urging me to give, teaching me to live
To show the family likeness of Your love
So Jesus has become for me a brother Lord
The special son that died to set us free
His cross for me has won the right to be Your son
A blessed son You'd never cast aside
A mural of memories moves by in a blur
His prayers all seem unanswered and unheard
His pleading petitions, his loud cries and tears
A last reprieve will simply not appear
So ruthless, He loves us, So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness, To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face
And by His blood He bought a violent grace
Most willing of victims, And with His final breath
Destroyed the one who holds the power of death
The hate heaped upon Him, scorning all the shame
But all for love He died and overcame
So ruthless, He loves us, So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness, To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face
And by His blood He bought a violent grace
In all of time no one had ever heard
And to the world the thought seemed so absurd
Beyond their wildest dreams no one could ever tell
Of a high priest who would sacrifice Himself
So ruthless, He loves us, So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness, To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face
And by His blood He bought a violent grace
So ruthless, He loves us, So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness, To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face
Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be do numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
"oh bless me lore, bless me lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But he cries, he weeps, he bleeds
And he cares for you needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in
Oh can't you see it's such a sin
'cause he brings people to you door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say
"god bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
'cause jesus came to you door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
God's calling and you're the one
But like jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in
Of can't you see it's such a sin
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
'cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, jesus rose from the dead
Come on get out of your bed
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
"come away, come away, come away with me my love
"Arise, My Love" Michael Card
Arise, my love, my lovely one come,
Winter is past and the rains are gone.
The flowers appear, it's the season of song,
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Who is it that appears like the dawn?
As fair as the moon, as bright as the sun?
Show me your face, let me hear your voice.
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Set me like a seal on your heart,
For love is unyielding as the grave.
The flash of it is a jealous fire,
No flood can quench,
For love is as strong as death.
Arise my love and come with me
Before the dawn breaks and the shadows flee.
You ravished my heart with just one glance
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Do not arose or awaken love
Until it so desires.
Arise, my love, my lovely one come,
The Winter is past and the rains are gone.
The flowers appear, it's season of song,
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
I am my love's, my beloved is mine.
Michael Card
I failed again to make the mark
Lost my way once more
I tried to do it by myself
Like so many times before
And now again I turn to You
I'm hungry and confused
By now my strength's dissolved away
And I feel like I've been used
Chorus
If You leave me to myself oh Lord
It will always be the same
It's You who'll have to hold my hand
And protect me by Your name
It's You who'll have to hold my hand
And protect me by Your name
I turn and find You there for me
You've been waiting all along
The open arms, the sweet relief
And You whisper me a song
At times like these I ask myself
How could I have ever strayed
And forgotten all You've given me
And lost sight of what You paid
Chorus
It's You who'll have to hold my hand
Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one
Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art
High king of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joy, sun bright heaven sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Michael Card
How did it feel to take the place
Of honor at the meal
To take the sop from His own hand
A prophesy to seal
Was it because He washed your feet
That you sold Him as a slave
The Son of Man, the Lamb of God
Who'd only come to save
The silver that they paid to you
From out their precious till
Was meant to buy a spotless lamb
A sacrifice to kill
How heavy was the money bag
That couldn't set you free
It became a heavy millstone
As you fell into the sea
Now Judas don't you come too close
I fear that I might see
That traitor's look upon your face
Might look too much like me
Cause just like you I've sold the Lord
And often for much less
And like a wretched traitor
Valley of Dry Bones lyrics
Behold a valley filled with bones
Bones on every side
A valley flush, a floor so full
Of bones so very dry
The Lord did ask, Can these bones live?
Might these bones rise once more?
What else was I to say but you alone can tell O, Lord.
A legion I will rise
A resurrected army
A living holy host of a people born again
Then prophesy O son of man
Cry out to this dead hord
And when they come to life again
They'll know I am The Lord
And when I spoke what I was told
There came a rattling sound
As bone to bone they formed a mass of bodies on the
ground
The dead will come alive
Their graves will lie abandoned
And all who dwelleth in the dust will wake and shout for
When the Father longed to show
The love He wanted us to know
He sent His only Son and so
Became a holy embryo
Chorus
That is the Mystery
More than you can see
Give up on your pondering
And fall down on your knees
A fiction as fantastic and wild
A mother made by her own child
A hopeless babe who cried
Was God Incarnate and man deified
Chorus
Because the fall did devastate
Creator must now recreate
So to take our sin
Was made like us so we could be like him
I know your deeds, I've seen your service
I recognize the reputation of your lives
But I know you live near Satan's shadow
And I have seen your faithful struggles to survive
And to the one who overcomes I'll give the manna
He'll have a pure white stone with his own secret name
She will possess the morning star in all its splendor
All this and more for them because they overcame
All this and more for them because they overcame
So just hold on, do not grow weary
For I am He who searches hearts and minds
Behold I'm standing at the door and I am knocking
And the one who hears and opens it will find
That the one who overcomes will rule the nations
On the throne he'll sit beside me dressed in white
She will become a column in God's holy temple
They will all eat freely from the Tree of Life
They will all eat freely from the Tree of Life
The overcomers come to understand
That they are precious poems printed
In the palms of His hands
And to the one who overcomes I'll give the manna
He'll have a pure white stone with his own secret name
She will possess the morning star in all its splendor
All this and more for them because they overcame
And to the one who overcomes I'll give the manna
He'll have a pure white stone with his own secret name
She will possess the morning star in all its splendor
All this and more for them because they overcame
All this and more for them because they overcame
(To keep you from Jesus)
Michael Card
What will it take to keep you from Jesus
Keep you from heeding His call
The simple excuse of a heart that is hard
A reason that's nothing at all
And there was a man who was owned by his money
He was as rich as could be
But deep in his heart was a voice that was crying
Telling him he wasn't free
When he questioned the Master
Concerning his problem
The answer took his breath away
For his money had come to mean more than his soul
Forever would stand in his way
Chorus
What will it take to keep you from Jesus
Keep you from heeding His call
The simple excuse of a heart that is hard
A reason that's nothing at all
And how long before you stop with your reasons
Take your defenses away
It's only a lie that keeps you from following
Don't let it stand in your way
So many excuses and so many lies
Are blocking the Light and the Way
But the final decision to follow the Lord
Can shatter and blow them away
Once there was one who was lame in his body
Sick in his body and soul
Though he didn't know all the facts about Jesus
He knew that he longed to be whole
So with some of his friends
He went seeking and found him
So many stood in their way
So they tore through the roof
And they lowered him down
For nothing could keep him away
Albert is a friend I know
Who walks a shuffling way.
And you must learn to read his face
For he hasn't much to say.
But he carries 'round inside himself
The knowledge he gives free.
If you look through, not at, his life
A whole new world inside you'll see.
[Chorus:]
When a window is a mirror,
You see two ways at one time.
You look outside and see the land,
The mountains left to climb.
But also you can see inside
Your face is painted there
Behold your face, and see your place
And understand why you are here.
Each time I gaze upon this boy
There's something moves inside
I see my own deformities
No longer need to hide
And through his life
I look upon my life a different way
This freedom that he gives for free
Means so much more than I can say
[Chorus]
And Albert offers at no charge
The hope what life can bring
But what he freely gives us all
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
[CHORUS]
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
[CHORUS]
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
[CHORUS]
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
[CHORUS]
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
What sort of song do you sing when an angel
has said a new world will be born in you?
That you should not fear now because you are favored
How do you believe
unbelievable news?
That you'll bear his baby, the Son of the Most High
That you'll name him Jesus, how to reply?
Oh what sort of song do you sing?
What sort of song do you sing?
My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior
For he's been mindful of the humble estate of his servant
What sort of song can you possibly sing
When impossible prophecies come to your life?
How do you make music when someday this burden
Will give birth to sorrow and cut like a knife?
This beautiful baby will be born to die
To offer salvation, how to reply?
Oh what sort of song do you sing?
What sort of song do you sing?
From now on all the generations will call me blessed
For the Mighty One has done great things in me
His great mercy reaches out to all generations
His strong and mighty arm has scattered the vain and the proud
He's brought down might princes, but lifted up the lowly
And fill the hungry with good things
Because of his covenant love
2010 Covenant Artists ASCAP
piano, guitar, Michael Card
bass, Keith Compton
vocals, Maggie Card, Michael Card
Michael Card
On a gray April morning as a chilling wind blew
A thousand dark promises were about to come true
As Satan stood trembling, knowing now he had lost
As the Lamb took his first step on the way to the cross
Chorus
This must be the Lamb
The fulfillment of all God had spoken
This must be the Lamb
Not a single bone will be broken
Like a sheep to the slaughter
So silently still
This must be the Lamb
They mocked his true calling and laughed at His fate
So glad to see the Gentle One consumed by their hate
Unaware of the wind and the darkening sky
So blind to the fact that it was God limping by
Chorus
The poor women weeping at what seemed a great loss
Trembling in fear there at the foot of the cross
Tormented by memories that came like a flood
Unaware that their pardon
Must be bought with His blood
Through The Eye
Through the eye
They must always believe a lie
Who see with and not through the eye
With and not through the eye
You may see what angels long to see
Hear the harvest's harmony
Leave the prison of your shame
Hear the sound of your own new name
Through the eye
We see Salvation has come alive
And only those who will see survive
With and not through the eye
Only the eyes of the heart perceive
That the deaf and blind can hear and see
That insanity's saner than sanity
That only a slave can be truly free
Through the eye
We see our Life it has come alive
And only those who will see survive
With and not through the eye
Chorus
Lord of light, oh, come to this wedding
Take the doubt and darkness away
Turn the water of lifeless living
To the wine of gladness we pray
Mother Mary's gently requesting
That you might do whatever you can
Though she may be impatient she loves you
And so she asks what she can't understand
Chorus
So amidst the laughter and feasting
There sits Jesus full with the fun
He has made them wine because He is longing
For a wedding that's yet to come
Michael Card
Phillippians 2:6-11
Who being in vary nature God
Would not grasp equality with Him
But made Himself nothing
And took up a servant's nature
Made in human likeness
Found in appearance as man
He humbled Himself, was obedient
Even to death on a cross
Chorus
At Jesus' name every knee shall bow
In Heaven and in all the earth
To the Father's glory each tongue cried Jesus is Lord
[Repeat]
Jesus is Lord
And so He has been exalted
By God to the highest place
And given a name as exalted
Above every other name
Chorus
Celebrate the Child who is the Light
Now the darkness is over
No more wandering in the night
Celebrate the Child who is the Light
You know this is no fable
Godhead and manhood became one
We see He's more than able
And so we live to God the Son
Chorus
First born of creation
Lamb and Lion, God and Man
The Author of Salvation
Almighty rapped in swaddling bands
Michael Card
II Timothy 1:6
Chorus
Fan the flame, lift it higher
Let the world feel the fire
Fan the flame, face the night
Don't be afraid your a child of the Light
Don't be ashamed to speak the name
That's how we fan the flame
There's only one way that is true
There's just one name that's been given to you
Share the life, spread the fire
Let the Word be your heart's desire
Chorus
Don't slow up, the race isn't through
A cloud of witnesses surrounding you
Look at the fields, so much to do
The harvest is great but the workers are few
In the ebb and flow of living
As we wander through the years
We're told to listen to a voice
We can't here with our ears
They say to live by something
That you can't see with your eyes
Is there really any purpose
To this foolish exercise?
Could it be, You make Your presence known
So often by Your absence?
Could it be that questions tell us more
Than answers ever do?
Could it be that You would really rather die
Than live without us?
Could it be the only answer that means anything
Is You?
In our words and in our silence
In our pride and in our shame
To the genius and the scholar
To the foolish and insane
To the ones who care to seek You
To the ones who never will
You are the only answer even still
Could it be, You make Your presence known
So often by Your absence?
Could it be that questions tell us more
Than answers ever do?
Could it be that You would really rather die
Than live without us?
Could it be the only answer that means anything
Is You?
It's a question you can't answer
An answer you cannot express
That the gentle Man of Sorrow
Is the source of happiness
You'll never solve the mystery
Of this magnetic man
For you must believe to understand
Could it be, You make Your presence known
So often by Your absence?
Could it be that questions tell us more
Than answers ever do?
Could it be that You would really rather die
Than live without us?
Could it be the only answer that means anything
Is You?
Could it be the only answer that means anything
Michael Card
From the pages of the prophets
He stepped out into the world
And walked the earth in lowly majesty
For He had been creator
A creature now was He
Come to bare love's sacred mystery
He the Truth was called a liar
The only lover hated so
He was many times a martyr before He died
Forsaken by the Father
Despised by all the world
He alone was born to be the crucified
Chorus
Upon the cross of Glory
His death was life to me
A sacrifice of love's most sacred mystery
And death rejoice to hold Him
For soon He would be free
For love must always have the victory
Though no rhyme could ever tell it
And no words could ever say
And no cord is foul enough to sing the pain
Still we feel the burden
And suffer with your song
You love us so and yet you bid us sing
Repeat Chorus
Sing it with your life, Sing it with your hear
Make melody with the words of your mouth
But mind that you listen, tell it to others
Hear the chorus of faith
Live the chorus of faith
The first note of the song split the darkness
And was sung by the planets and stars
And their light spoke "hallelujah"
And the words of the chorus
Were sung by angels before us
Now come join in the tune
Then in time Jesus came to be for us
And His coming made our life a song
And his Word is the chorus
Is the Light that is burning
Is the reason we sing
Singing this song's what life is about
And if you refuse the stones will cry out
We do not sing that we might be more blessed
He loves us with passin, without regret
Come to the table and savor the sight
The wine and the bread that was broken
And all have been welcomed to come if they might
Accept as their own these two tokens
The bread is His body, the wine is the blood
And the one who provides them is true
He freely offers, we freely receive
To accept and believe Him is all we must do
Come to the table and taste of the glory
And savor the sorrow, He's dying tomorrow
The hand that is breaking the bread
Soon will be broken
And here at the table, sit those who have loved You
One is a traitor and one will deny
But He's lived his life for them all
And for all be crucified
Come to the table He's prepared for you
The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release
Come to the table and sit down beside Him
The Savior wants you to join in the feast
Come to the table and see in His eyes
The love that the Father has spoken
And know you are welcome, whatever your crime
For every commandment you've broken
For He's come to love you and not to condemn
And He offers a pardon of peace
If you'll come to the table, you'll feel in your heart
The greatest forgiveness, the greatest release
Come to the table and taste of the glory
And savor the sorrow, He's dying tomorrow
The hand that is breaking the bread
Soon will be broken
And here at the table, sit those who have loved You
One is a traitor and one will deny
But He's lived his life for them all
And for all be crucified
Come to the table He's prepared for you
The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release
Come to the table and sit down beside Him
The Savior wants you to join in the feast
Come to the table He's prepared for you
The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release
Come to the table and sit down beside Him
Michael Card
Don't you know
There's a place in the middle of your heart
An empty place that only Christ can fill
And if you bow your knee to Jesus
And claim Him as your Lord
Don't you doubt for a minute that He will
Chorus
Don't you know that He loves you
Don't you know that He cares
Don't you know that He died to save your soul
And don't you doubt for a minute that He will
Your at a time in your life
When you're really in between
With people tugging you from every side
And the pain of growing up is almost
More than you can bare
And all you want to do is run and hide
Don't you see that now's the time
When you really need Him most
He's waiting and He's calling to you still
He only wants to love you and hold you in His arms
And don't you doubt for a minute that He will
Michael Card
The star lit wizards came to see
Whom might this new born Dragonslayer be
He come the serpent's lies to cease
To win for us a never ending peace
The serpent reared his ugly head
In the stillness of the garden
To bite the Dragonslayer's heel
And defeat His plan of pardon
But the Mighty One provided for
The fallen ones instead
And the quest began to slay the beast
To finally crush his head
To finally crush his head
Chorus
Behold the Dragonslayer
He stills the serpent's scream
He stops his accusations
He spoils the dragon's dream
Behold the Dragonslayer
He died to set us free
The dragon thought he'd won then
It wasn't meant to be
It wasn't meant to be
The dragon sought to take the child
Of the woman clothed in sunlight
But once again the King stepped in
And began to fight the last fight
And so the battle raged between
The heavens and the sky
And the dragon was defeated
And at last was doomed to died
At last was doomed to died
Michael Card
Chorus 1
Crown Him, Crown Him, the angry people did cry
Crown Him, Crown Him, let Him be crucified
Crown Him, Crown Him, let Him not remain alive
Crown Him, Crown Him, He must be crucified
So a circle of pain and love
Came down upon His head
It was not for anything He'd done
Or for anything He'd said
For all His life He'd sought to show
They were only living a lie
But they didn't care to hear, Oh no
They just wanted Him to die
Chorus 1
Soon a circle of glory
Will be placed upon His brow
And He'll come to reign forever
Though it may not seem so now
Then our time of tears and trouble
Will seem only like a dream
As we stand before the glory
Of our Savior and our King
Chorus 2
Crown Him, Crown Him
Holy angels sing all Glory honor, power and grace
Crown Him King of Kings
Crown Him, Crown Him, those redeemed and damned
Will bow with me and humbly, sing worthy is the lamb
He is in the pain, He is in the need
He is in the poor, we are told to feed
Though He was rich, for us He became poor
How could He give so much, what was it for?
In His distressing disguise, He waits for us to surmise
That we rob our brothers by all that we own
And that's not the way He has shown
Every time a faithful servant serves a brother that's in need
What happens at that moment is a miracle indeed
As they look to one another in an instant it is clear
Only Jesus is visible for they've both disappeared
He is in the hand that reaches out to give
He is in the touch that causes men to live
So speak with your life now as well as your tongue
Shelter the homeless, take care of the young
In His distressing disguise, He hopes that we'll realize
That when we take care of the poorest of them
"The Way of Wisdom" Michael Card
The Way of Wisdom starts out
With a step of holy fear
And it makes its way alone
By every good word that you hear.
It has to do with passion
And it has to do with pain.
It has to do with One
Who has both died and rose again.
Died and rose again....
And the Way of Wisdom is living.
The Path of Peace is forgiving.
Behold the Man of Meaning.
Behold, He is the Lord.
The Way of Wisdom beckons us
To find the end of fear
That perfect loves pursues.
For Wisdom did not come
To simply speak the words of truth.
He's the Word that makes us true.
And the Way of Wisdom is living.
The Path of Peace is forgiving.
Behold the Man of Meaning.
Behold, He is the Lord.
And the Way of Wisdom is living.
The Path of Peace is forgiving.
Behold the Man of Meaning.
Behold, He is the Lord.
The Way of Wisdom starts out
With a step of holy fear.
That's only the beginning
And there's much more that is clear.
The path leads on to love,
And love is fearless in its ways,
For Love Himself was not afraid
To die that we'd be saved.
To die that we'd be saved....
And the Way of Wisdom is living.
The Path of Peace is forgiving.
Behold the Man of Meaning.
Behold, He is the Lord.
And the Way of Wisdom is living.
The Path of Peace is forgiving.
Behold the Man of Meaning.
Behold, He is the Lord.
Pilgrims of passion we follow the One
Who holds out a cross and a crown
We travel a dark road that has but one Light
For we have here no lasting town
Sometimes we run by the power of His might
On our own at the best we can plod
What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight
We are pilgrims to the city of God
The stigma of strangers lost in a strange land
In a fallen world that's not our home
But we are not homeless prodigals here
Because we have someplace to go
Sometimes we run by the power of His might
On our own at the best we can plod
What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight
We are pilgrims to the city of God
Behold you have come to Mount Zion
The the City of Great King
To thousands and thousands of angels who've come
Assembled to joyfully sing
Sometimes we run by the power of His might
On our own at the best we can plod
What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight
Michael Card
John 1:1
In the beginning was the word
And the Word was with God
And the Word was God
And the Word became flesh
And the Word became flesh
The Nazarene had come to live the life of every man
And He felt the fascination of the stars
And as He wandered through this weary world
He wondered and He wept
For there were so few who'd listen to His call
He came, He saw, He surrendered all
So that we might be born again
And the fact of His humanity was there for all to see
For He was unlike any other man and yet so much like me
The Nazarene could hunger and the Nazarene could cry
And He could laugh with all the fullness of His heart
And those who hardly knew Him and those who knew Him well
Could feel the contradiction from the start
He came, He saw, He surrendered all
So that we might be born again
And the fact of His humanity was there for all to see
For He was unlike any other man and yet so much like me
He came, He saw, He surrendered all
So that we might be born again
And the fact of His humanity was there for all to see
Michael Card
There's a force in the dark that's waiting for you
And it's telling your heart what it wants to do
But the light is there and it wants to shine through
You never know how dark it is inside till you
Chorus
Face the light, don't stumble in the darkness
Face the light, see how dark your heart is
Face the light, never see the shadows
Only face the light
Face the light, don't know how much you need Him
Face the light, just turn around and see Him
Face the light, He'll take away the darkness
Only face the light
There are just two ways and you better choose right
You can die in the dark or you can live in the light
One is the Way, the Truth, the Life
The other's dark and never leads to home
Won't you
Michael Card
Until Your Son called out to me I was lost
For years my cradle swung above the grave
It is a wondrous thing to be adopted by a king
To know a love that crowns and crucifies
When Your Spirit moves I breath a prayer to You
A cry not from my mouth but from the heart
Because the Spirit came, I can use Your holy name
The tender name a son could only use
Chorus
Abba Father, Abba Father
Since that word became Your adoptive name
Abba Father, I cry out to You
Knowing You will hear my plea
For You've adopted me
Your Spirit of adoption came and filled my heart
To smile upon the earth behind my eyes
Urging me to give, teaching me to live
To show the family likeness of Your love
So Jesus has become for me a brother Lord
The special son that died to set us free
His cross for me has won the right to be Your son
A blessed son You'd never cast aside
Repeat Chorus
Who do people say I am?
Do you think they understand?
Messiah's suffering
Salvation brings
Oh, but Jesus, you're not that kind of king
Oh, but Jesus, you're not that kind of king
You come in power to take your throne
You'll show your glory in Jerusalem
It's what the crowds are claimming
Oh, but Jesus, is not that kind of king
He has come to suffer and He has come to die
Curcified in weakness and you may wonder why
He who called the angles
[unfinished]
The Lord God said when time was full
He would shine His light in the darkness
He said a virgin would conceive
And give birth to the Promise
For a thousand years the dreamers dreamt
And hoped to see His love
The Promise showed their wildest dreams
had simply not been wild enough
But the Promise showed their wildest dreams
Had simply not been wild enough
Chorus
The Promise was love and the Promise was life
The Promise meant light to the world
Living proof Jehovah saves
For the name of the Promise was Jesus
The Faithful One saw time was full
And the ancient pledge was honored
So God the Son, the Incarnate One
His final Word, His own Son
Was born in Bethlehem
But came into our hearts to live
What more could God have given
Tell me what more did He have to give
What more could God have given
Tell me what more did He have to give
Repeat Chorus
At last the proof Jehovah saves
Michael Card
Chorus
Tell the world that Jesus loves you
Tell them you've found a forever friend
You've opened up your heart's door to Him
The love of Jesus has no end
You can choose what not to believe in
You can deny there's a heaven above
But once you take a look at Jesus
There's no denying that God is Love
Chorus
If you want to show that you really love Him
If you want to prove that your love is true
Then you'll obey the word He's spoken
And do all the things He's commanded you to
Repeat Chorus
So Many Books
Michael Card
A D2 E F#m D A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
vamp:
A D2 E F#m D A E
|:[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]:|
A D
There is a hunger, a longing for bread
E A E/G#
And so comes the call for the poor to be fed
F#m7 Bm7
More hungry by far are a billion and more
D A E A
Who wait for the Bread of the Word of the Lord
Chorus:
A D E F#m DAD E
So many books, so little time, so many hunger, so many
blind
A E F#m
Starving for words, they must wait in the night
D A E A
To open a Bible and move towards the Light
VAMP
There'll come a time, the prophets would say
When the joy of mankind will be withered away
A want not for water, but a hunger for more
A famine for hearing the Word of the Lord
CHORUS
D A E F#m
...To open a Bible and move towards the Light,
DA E A
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
D A/C#
The Word won't go out, except it return
F#m E
Full, over flowing and so we must learn
A D E F#mD A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
A D E F#m D A E
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
CHORUS
D A E F#m
To open a Bible and move towards the Light
DA E F#m
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
DA E A
Open a Bible and move towards the Light
A D E F#mD A E D
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
A D E F#m D A E A
[ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ][ / / / / ]
Michael Card
Jesus loves me, I know it's true
Because He died for me and He died for you
When I think of all the pain that He went through
I want the world to know and I want to shout the news
Chorus
Jesus loves me, this I know
It's not just the Bible that tells me so
I can feel it, feel it in my soul
Jesus loves me, this I know
Jesus loves me, how can it be
That the only Son of God should care for me
To take away my sin and set me free
To take my life and make it all it's meant to be
Chorus
Jesus loves me, he loves you too
You can't understand it all just believe it's true
He'll take away your old heart give you one that's new
You'll feel the walls come down
As His love comes breaking through
Chorus
He Sends His Angels
Verse 1:
(D)Peter was locked up in prison,
For the fe(G)arless faith he di(D)splayed.
So God sent His angels to rescue,
(G)For that's what the brothers had (A) Prayed.
(D)And so iron gates simply opened.
His (G) chains fell away like the (D) sand.
(G)He reached out and followed his
(D) Guardian angel,
(G)Who led by invisible (A) hands.
Chorus:
(G)He sends His (A)Angels,
(G)To open the prison (D)doors.
(G)To come and set His c(D)aptives free.
(G)To offer them (D)more.
(G)To break open the doors(D) of fear,
(G)Destroying dark dungeons of (D) doubt.
(G)He sends His angels to (D)open the prison doors,
(G)Lovingly the(A)y lead us(D) out.
Verse 2:
(D)So are you afraid of the darkness?
What's your per(G)sonal prison t(D)oday?
(G)Ask Him to send you His (D)angels,
So th(G)ey might show you the(A/D)way?
A vile, enormous dragon
With heads and horns and crowns
And a tail that swept the stars from heaven
And cruelly cast them down
He lurked before the woman about to bear her Son
The One who'll rule the nations with a rod of iron
CHORUS:
Now has come our salvation
The power and the kingdom of God
For the dragon is defeated
By the Word and the blood of the Lamb
Behold, a war in heaven
Reflected here on earth
And Michael and his angels
Fought for all their worth
That wicked ancient serpent who leads the world astray
The accuser of the brethren was beaten from the fray
CHORUS
Rejoice then, oh ye heavens
But woe to the earth and sky
For he is filled, filled with fury
He knows his time is brief
Cause he knows his time is brief
Heb. 13:1, 4, 8f, 13, 25
Grace Be With You All
Remember to love one another
And do what is pleasing to Him
Be strengthened by grace
And worship in reverence and awe
The God of peace
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with all things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
Forget not the sufferings of Jesus
And bear the disgrace that He bore
Confessing His name, for Christ is the same
Yesterday, today and forever
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with all things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
And grace be with you all
And may the Great Shepherd of the sheep
Equip you with good things
For doing His will
And grace be with you all
Seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to man
He must have seemed out of His mind
Even His family said He was mad
And the priest said a demon's to blame
But, God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane
Chorus
We in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
We in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong
So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable, come be a fool as well
So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And You'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam
So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Find the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see
Chorus
So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Michael Card
Genesis 22:1-14 & Hebrews 11:17-19
Three days journey to the sacred place
A boy and a man with a sorrowful face
Tortured yet faithful to God's command
To take the life of son with his own hands
Chorus
God will provide a Lamb
To be offered up in your place
A sacrifice so spotless and clean
To take all your sin away
Here's wood and fire, where's the sacrifice
A questioning voice and the innocent eyes
Is the son of laughter who you waited for
To die like a lamb to please the Lord
Chorus
A gleaming knife, an accepted choice
A rush of wind and an angel's voice
A ram in the thicket caught by his horns
And a new age of trusting the Lord is born
For God has provided a Lamb
He was offered up in your place
What Abraham was asked to do he has done
He's offered his only son
What Abraham was asked to do he has done
Surrounded with shouts the cruel accusations
Dragged to the court, no hope of salvation
All hope was lost for those who had caught me
Knew what I was, they knew all about me
I thought it seemed strange as we entered in
They stopped a young rabbi to ask his opinion
Caught in the act, their reason for hating
My body could feel the stones that were waiting
My judge, a man from Galilee
In His eyes so gentle I could see
A father and a brother and a son
Just as I saw Him, the hope I had lost became born again
I was not hopeless, though I'd been lost
Now, I felt I was found when He looked at me
With His forgiving eyes
The crowd gathered round, so angry and violent
But He stood beside me, peaceful and silent
Then with a word, with one question, He showed them
That they too were guilty and could not condemn
The next thing I knew, He asked me, "Where are they?"
And I looked around the courtyard was empty
The stones scattered 'round, the warm morning sunlight
He'd made the darkness perfectly light
In this new light now I understood
He would not condemn me though He could
For He would be condemned someday for me
Just as I saw Him, the hope I had lost became born again
I was not hopeless, though I'd been lost
Now, I felt I was found when He looked at me
With His forgiving eyes
Chorus
We are flesh of His flesh
Bone of His bone
His Spirit has brought us
Together as one
Though we may be separate
We're one perfect whole
For we are His body
And He is our soul
We are the blessed receivers
Of His inexhaustible love
And so it is out of believers
The body of Christ is made of
Chorus
Forever we'll have one another
Because we belong to the Lord
And so we belong to each other
And that is our greatest reward
Repeat Chorus
For we are His body
Behold a blood-washed multitude
Before the throne of God
Day and night they serve Him in the temple
As the faithful throng wave their palms
From every tribe and nation
A here-to-fore unheard of roar of joy and jubilation
CHORUS:
Salvation belongs to our God
And to the One who's on the throne
Salvation belongs to the Lamb
To our God and to the Lamb alone
Amen, praise and glory
Wisdom, honor, strength, and power
Be to our God forever and ever
In this eternal glorious hour
They will never thirst again
Neither will they hunger
For the Lamb will be their Shepherd
For the kingdom of this world's become
The kingdom of our Christ
And God will wipe away the tears
From each and every eye
CHORUS
Amen, praise and glory
Wisdom, honor, strength, and power
Be to our God forever and ever
In this eternal glorious hour
CHORUS
Salvation belongs to our God
You and me, we use so very many clumsy words
The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard
When the Father's Wisdom wanted to communicate His love
He spoke it in one final perfect Word.
Chorus...
He spoke the incarnation and then so was born the Son,
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way divine,
And so was born the Baby who would die to make it mine.
And so the Father's fondest thought took on flesh and bone,
He spoke the living luminist word, at once His will was done,
And so the transformation that in man had been unheard
Took place in God the Father as He spoke that final word.
Chorus...
And so the Light became alive and manner became man,
Eternity stepped into time so we could understand.
Chorus...
How long will you forget, O Lord? (How long? How long?)
How I long to see your face, O Lord? (How long will you
hide?)
How I struggle with my thoughts, O Lord! (How long? How
long?)
Suffer sorrow in my heart, O Lord! (How long will you
hide?)
How How Long? How How Long?
You won?'t even give an answer, Lord! (How long? How
long?)
Give me light or I can live no more! (How long will you
hide?)
My foes rejoice when they see me fall! (How long? How
long?)
We have overcome and now they call! (How long will you
hide?)
How How Long? (Will you hide from me?) How How Long?
How How Long? (Till you set me free?) How How Long?
Still, O Lord, You are so good to me! (How long? How
long?)
My heart rejoices how you set me free! (How long will
you hide?)
You?'re the Savior that I?'m hoping on! (How long? How
long?)
How I trust in your unfailing love! (How long will you
hide?)
How How Long? (How long?) How How Long?
Fleeing what I do not know
Recapture me, recapture me
I flee to where I cannot go
Recapture me
The bridge between my heart and mind
Recapture me, recapture me
You come across myself to find
Recapture me
You come and knock on imaginations door,
You come to show to
To know You is what eyes and ears are for.
With ears that hear but not receive
Recapture me, recapture me
With eyes that see but can't perceive
Recapture me
Your paradox and poetry
Recapture me, recapture me
You speak one sacred certainty
Recapture me
You come and knock on imaginations door,
You come to show to to know You is
What eyes and ears are for,
(what eyes and ears are for,
What eyes and ears are for)
To know You is what eyes and ears are for
(what eyes and ears are for,
What eyes and ears are for)
Through prophets madness make me wise
Recapture me, recapture me
Through foolish faith open my eyes
Recapture me
With sacred words, with silent words
Recapture me, recapture me
You're the living Word that must be heard
Recapture me
Recapture me
Michael Card
How did it feel to take the place
Of honor at the meal
To take the sop from His own hand
A prophesy to seal
Was it because He washed your feet
That you sold Him as a slave
The Son of Man, the Lamb of God
Who'd only come to save
The silver that they paid to you
From out their precious till
Was meant to buy a spotless lamb
A sacrifice to kill
How heavy was the money bag
That couldn't set you free
It became a heavy millstone
As you fell into the sea
Now Judas don't you come too close
I fear that I might see
That traitor's look upon your face
Might look too much like me
Cause just like you I've sold the Lord
And often for much less
And like a wretched traitor
I betrayed Him with a kiss
El Shaddai
By Amy Grant
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.
Through your love and through the ram,
You saved the son of Abraham;
Through the power of your hand,
Turned the sea into dry land.
To the outcast on her knees,
You are the God who really sees,
And by Your might,
You set Your children free.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.
Through the years You've made it clear,
That the time of Christ was near,
Though the people couldn't see
What Messiah ought to be.
Though Your Word contained the plan,
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of Your Son.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonai,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
I will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonai,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
I will praise and lift You high,
Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord Almighty
Home is a comfort and home is a light,
A place to leave the darkness outside,
Home is a peaceful and ever full feeling
A place where a soul safely hides.
And being in a home should remind you that still
There's a place that's prepared just for you
And I think my home is just Heaven's reflection
As long as my home's here with you.
Home is where someone is waiting and loving,
And happy to see you again,
That half of your heart that somebody else treasures
The one who's your forever friend.
But it seems that He's told me,
The life that He's showed me
Is a life mostly spent on the road
But when the world's empty charm
Has done all of its harm
I know that His love waits for me in you arms.
Cause home is a comfort and home is a light
A place to leave the darkness outside
Home is a peaceful and ever full feeling
A place where a soul safely hides.
And being in a home should remind you that still
There's a place that's prepared just for you
And I think my home is just Heaven's reflection
As long as my home's here with you.
And being in a home should remind you that still
There's a place that's prepared just for you
And I think my home is just Heaven's reflection
Michael Card
I fled Him down the nights and days
I fled Him down the path of years
I heard all about the love of the One
Who was following me
I clung to every shallow friend
The whistling mane of every wind
I feared that once I tasted that love
I could never let go
Cause those strong feet kept following the way I sped
But the love that followed overcame the fear that fled
So I ran inside the world again
To the ones who called the Hound their friend
I thought in vain that would be the best place to hide
To mother nature's breast I flew
And shouted to the sky so blue
Please hide me from this One so set on loving me
Came back a voice that sounded like the bursting sea
None will shelter you who will not shelter me
Shelter me, Shelter me
Finally, I can flee no more
I yielded for Your open door
The prize You sought for so long is finally Yours
Your dark and gloom have hounded me
For so long now that I can't see
I surrender all those things You've taken from me
Came back a voice that did not take him for your heart
I only wanted You to seek them in my all
The dark and gloom you said
You could no longer stand
Was after all the shadow of My loving hand
How little worthy of My love could anyone be
Chorus
We are flesh of His flesh
Bone of His bone
His Spirit has brought us
Together as one
Though we may be separate
We're one perfect whole
For we are His body
And He is our soul
We are the blessed receivers
Of His inexhaustible love
And so it is out of believers
The body of Christ is made of
Chorus
Forever we'll have one another
Because we belong to the Lord
And so we belong to each other
And that is our greatest reward
Repeat Chorus
For we are His body
And He is our soul
I Have Decided Sung By Amy Grant
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't 'cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
There's a wealth of things that I profess,
I said that I believed,
But deep inside I never changed;
I guess I'd been deceived.
'Cause a voice inside kept telling me,
That I'd change by and by,
But the Spirit made it clear to me,
That kind of life's a lie.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deciver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't 'cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
So forget the game of being good,
And your self-righteous pain.
'Cause the only good inside your heart
Is the good that Jesus brings.
And when the world begins to see you change,
Don't expect them to applaud.
Just keep your eyes on Him and tell yourself,
I've become the work of God.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't 'cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't 'cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I Will Bring You Home
Though you are homeless
Though you're alone
I will be your Home
Whatever's the matter
Whatever's been done
I will be your Home
I will be your Home
I will be your Home
In this fearful fallen place
I will be your Home
When time reaches fullness
When I move my hand
I will bring you Home
Home to your own place
In a beautiful land
I will bring you Home
I will bring you Home
I will bring you Home
From this fearful, fallen place
I will bring you Home
A sign shall be given a virgin will conceive
A human baby bearing undiminished deity
The glory of the nations a light for all to see
That hope for all who will embrace His warm reality
Immanuel our God is with us
And if God is with us who could stand against us
Our God is with us
Immanuel
For all those who live in the shadow of death
A glorious light has dawned
For all those who stumble in the darkness
Behold your light has come
Immanuel our God is with us
And if God is with us who could stand against us
Our God is with us
Immanuel
So what will be Your answer? Will You hear the call?
Of Him who did not spare His son but gave Him for us all
On earth there is no power there is no depth or height
That could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ
Immanuel our God is with us
And if God is with us who could stand against us
Our God is with us
Immanuel
Immanuel our God is with us
And if God is with us who could stand against us
Our God is with us
Michael Card
Colossians 3:15
In stillness and simplicity
In the silence of the heart I see
The mystery of eternity
Who lives in side of me
In stillness and simplicity
I hear the Spirit's silent plea
That You, oh Lord, are close to me
In stillness and simplicity
You're the Word
Who must be heard
By those who listen quietly
Is the reason we're not still
To hear You speak because
We don't believe You will
In stillness and simplicity
I lose myself in finding Thee
Oh Lord, You mean so much to me
In stillness and simplicity
So, seek the One who dwells in you
The kingdom that within is true
That innermost reality
Michael Card
Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10 & 7:11-28
In the days of old the priest would come
With a lifeless sacrifice
While the crowd in anxious silence
Would wait outside
As he entered in the temple
They hoped he would be heard
God would give them a tomorrow
And the priest would stay alive
Their only choice, their only hope
Would he be heard
The only way they might be saved
Would he be heard
In the fullness of the promised time
The Final Priest did come
And He offered up a living sacrifice
Now we His children wait for Him
With hope and joyful praise
For we know that God has heard Him
For we know that He was raised
He offered tearful prayers and He was heard
He offered up His life and He was heard
Chorus
So let us fix our eyes upon
The priest whom God did hear
For the joy that was before Him
He overcame the fear
For once and all He paid the cost
Enduring all the shame
Taking up the cruel cross
Ignoring all the pain
Forgive oh Lord
And heal our land
And give us eyes to seek Your face
And hearts to understand
That You alone
Make all things new
And the blessings of the land we love
Are really gifts from You
Chorus
If My people will humbly pray
And seek My face and turn away
From all their wicked ways
Then I will hear them and move My hand
And freely then will I forgive
And I will heal their land
Unite our hearts
In one accord
And make us hungry for Your peace
And burdened for the poor
And grant us hope
That we might see
The future for the land we love
Our life Our liberty
I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
Because I would really, really love to stick around
Heaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn't know what I wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirls pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me
To win the race? a prettier face
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV
But today the way I play the game is not the same
No way
Think I'm gonna get me some happy
I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I told you so
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone else I've got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man
All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy
What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big-shot goodtime band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on MTV
But today the way I play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now I'm gonna get myself happy
I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man
All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Well it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody's got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were build to last
That's what you get
I say that's what you get
That's what you get for changing your mind
And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man
I'll hold on to my freedom
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live
In Eden the darkening garden was still
Unwet by all the tears from the sky.
The burden of that disobedient bite
Brought all the tears the fallen world would cry.
The unwelcome tears that they never had known
Coursed down their fallen faces in surprise.
All they ever had seen was the light of His face
But now the sin had entered in
Their tears would fall like rain.
Falling tears from fallen eyes
Our faces with an unaccustomed stain
We were driven from the garden
Beneath a cloudless sky
For human tears are older than the rain
Human tears are older than the rain
And so we all were driven from His presence and His peace
To stumble all along this long-lamenting race.
From the deepest, darkest shadows, He joins us on our way
And we recognize our fallen tears upon that human face.
Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one
Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art
High king of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joy, sun bright heaven sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, oh ruler of all
The word is so near
To your heart and your tongue
With the one you confess and acknowledge the Son
With the other believe and are justified
And find life in knowing it was for you he died
No its not up in heaven
Where your thoughts could not reach
Nor beyond the ocean
On some distant beach
No, the word is so near
In the innermost part
It's alive on your lips
It abides in your heart
In a green, green land riding on the sea
Live a people who speak like a song
But their fertile field lies so fallow and bare
And has borne bitter fruit for so long
Pray for the greening of Belfast
That what is now barren
Might bloom and be fair
God loves the city of Belfast
For so many children who love Him live there
So many children who love Him live there
The verdant hills like strong arms embrace
A heartbreaking, heartbroken town
With the air so full of angels there
It's not hard to imagine the sound
Of their cries and tears
Of their pleas and prayers
For their city to know peace once more
Let the fighting cease
Let the saints be released
To join in true spiritual war
Chorus:
Pray for the greening of Belfast
That what is now barren
Might bloom and be fair
God loves the city of Belfast
For so many children who love Him live there
So many children who love Him live there
So pray for the greening of Belfast
CHORUS(1):
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Salvation and honor and glory belong to our God
Amen!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
See now the one who corrupted the earth is condemned
VERSE(1):
Death for the dark adulteress
Destroyed at last forever
By His judgments, just and true
He has avenged the blood of His saints
CHORUS(2):
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The Lord God Almighty has come now forever to reign
Amen!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let all those who love Him give glory, rejoice, and be
glad
VERSE(2):
The wedding of the Lamb has come
The bride has made herself ready
And she shall wear linen bright and clean
Woven of the faithful acts of His saints
King of kings and Lord of lords
King of kings and Lord of lords
CHORUS(1)
VERSE(2)
King of kings and Lord of lords
King of kings and Lord of lords
CHORUS(2)
Hallelujah! (8x)
The Kingdom
So near and yet still so far, far away
So close, and yet still to come
Concealed, the seed is mysteriously growing
In hearts that will listen and hear
A treasure that's hidden, a pearl of great price
A fortune for fools who believe
A kingdom of beauty, a kingdom of love
A kingdom of justice and peace
A kingdom that holds all the wilds of creation
A kingdom where children will lead
For now this kingdom's a land of the lowly
A place for the tired, plundered poor
Now our gentle King comes in peace on a donkey
But then on a charger for war
A battle in heaven, a war on the earth
To shatter the long darkened siege
Not by our own strength
And not by the power of might
But by His Spirit it comes
Blinded eyes will see
And deafened ears will hear
The praise from the lips of the dumb
CHORUS(1):
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Salvation and honor and glory belong to our God
Amen!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
See now the one who corrupted the earth is condemned
VERSE(1):
Death for the dark adulteress
Destroyed at last forever
By His judgments, just and true
He has avenged the blood of His saints
CHORUS(2):
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The Lord God Almighty has come now forever to reign
Amen!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let all those who love Him give glory, rejoice, and be
glad
VERSE(2):
The wedding of the Lamb has come
The bride has made herself ready
And she shall wear linen bright and clean
Woven of the faithful acts of His saints
King of kings and Lord of lords
King of kings and Lord of lords
CHORUS(1)
VERSE(2)
King of kings and Lord of lords
King of kings and Lord of lords
CHORUS(2)
Victorious army with God-given hearts in their hands
A sea on fire, they all sing the song of the Lamb
Just and true are Your ways, King of Ages
So great and marvelous are all Your deeds
Oh Lord God Almighty, who will not fear You
And bring the glory to Your Name
A temple in heaven and angels with bowls in their hands
Smoke and glory, and the power of God to command
Just and true are Your ways, King of Ages
So great, so marvelous are all Your deeds
Oh Lord God Almighty, who will not fear You
And bring the glory to Your Name
Yes, Lord God Almighty, Your judgments are true
They've slain saints and prophets, now give them their
Just and true are Your ways, King of Ages
So great, so marvelous are all Your deeds
Oh Lord God Almighty, who will not fear You
And bring the glory to,
And bring the glory to,
Michael Card
(I Thessalonians 4:13)
Maranatha is a cry of the heart
That's hopeful yet weary of waiting
While it may be joyful with the burdens it bears
It's sick with anticipating
To long for the Promised One day after day
And the promise that soon He'd return
It's certain that waiting's the most bitter lesson
A believing heart has to learn
Chorus
Maranatha,
How many more moments must this waiting last
Maranatha, we long for the time when all time is past
A commotion, a call then that will be all
Though it's not yet the hour
The minutes are ticking away
Maranatha is the shout of the few
Who for so long in history've been hiding
Who truly believe that the sound of that call
Might actually hasten His coming
For no eye has seen and no ear has yet heard
And no mind has ever conceived
The joy of the moment when He will appear
To the wonder of all who believe
Chorus
Maranatha, how hungry we are just to see Your face
Parousia, to finally fall in one long embrace
A commotion, a call and that will be all
Though it's not yet the hour