Can’t Speak Truth to Power
I’m trading my hill songs for street songs.
I’m trading my sweet amens for Lord have mercies.
I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.
I’m trading my shiny tables for rugged beams.
I’m trading my nationalisms for kingdom crosses.
I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.
And we say yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord.
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord.
Let’s trade our like-ability for the neighbour’s love.
Let’s trade our smooth talk for the prophet’s truth.
Let’s lay them down for the joy of the Lord.
And we say come Lord, come Lord, come come Lord.
Come Lord, come Lord, come come Lord.
We hardly know His words from the ground up.
Our quick takes ooze with white house platitudes.
We can’t speak truth to power so our nice words are used.
We are pressed but not crushed
Persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
We are blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure
That His joy’s gonna be our strength
And we say help Lord, help Lord, help help Lord.
Help Lord, help Lord, help help Lord.
We’re trading our hill songs for street songs.
We’re trading our sweet amens for Lord have mercies.
We’re laying them down for the joy of the Lord.
Note about the picture: an inset from Edward Hicks’ work, The Falls of Niagara
Note about a previous song quoted and alluded to in this poem: Darrell Evans wrote the song Trading My Sorrows, otherwise known as Yes Lord.