Lyrics | Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar:
WE ARE GATHERED HERE MY BROTHERS, IN THIS HOWLING, HOWLING WILDERNESS, FOR TO SPEAK SOME WORDS OF COMFORT TO EACH OTHER IN DISTRESS. AND WE CHOOSES FOR OUR SUBJECT THIS! I'LL EXPLAIN BY AND BY. AND THE LORD SAID, MOSES, MOSES, AND THE MAN SAID, HERE AM I.
NOW OLD PHARAOH DOWN IN EGYPT, WAS THE WORSE MAN EVER BORN. AND HE HAD THE HEBREW CHILDREN DOWN THERE WORKING IN THE CORN. WELL THE LORD GOT TIRED OF HIS FOOLING AND SAYS HE, AND SAYS HE, I'LL LET HIM KNOW LOOK HERE MOSES, GO TELL PHARAOH FOR TO LET MY PEOPLE GO. AND IF HE RUFUSE TO DO IT, I'LL MAKE HIM RUE THE HOUR, FOR I'LL EMPTY DOWN ON EGYPT ALL THE VIALS OF MY POWER.
YES, HE DID, YES, HE DID, YES, HE DID!
AND OLD PHARAOH'S ARMY WASN'T WORTH HALF A DIME, FOR THE LORD WILL HELP HIS CHILDREN YOU CAN TRUST HIM EVERY TIME. THO YOUR ENEMIES ASSAIL YOU IN THE BACK AND IN THE FRONT BUT THE LORD IS ALL AROUND YOU, FOR TO TAKE THE BATTLE'S BRUNT. THEY CAN FORGE YOU CHAINS AND SHACKLES FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA BUT THE LORD WILL SEND SOME MOSES FOR TO SET HIS CHILDREN FREE. AND THE LAND SHALL HEAR HIS THUNDER, LIKE A BLAST FROM GABRIEL'S HORN, FOR THE LORD OF HOSTS IS MIGHTY WHEN HE GIRDS HIS ARMOR ON. BUT FOR FEAR SOMEONE MISTAKES ME I WILL PAUSE RIGHT HERE TO SAY THAT I'M STILL A-PREACHING ANCIENT, I AIN'T TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
BUT I TELL YOU FELLOW CHRISTIANS, THINGS WILL HAPPEN MIGHTY STRANGE NOW THE LORD DONE THIS FOR ISRAEL, AND HIS WAYS DON'T EVER, NEVER CHANGE. AND THE LOVE HE SHOWED TO ISRAEL WASN'T ALL ON ISRAEL SPENT NOW DON'T GO RUN AND TELL YOUR MASTERS THAT I'M PREACHING DISCONTENT, BECAUSE I ISN'T! I'SE A-JUDGING BIBLE PEOPLE BY THEIR ACTS I'M A-GIVING YOU THE SCRIPTURE, I'M A-HANDING YOU THE FACTS. FOR OLD PHARAOH BELIEVED IN SLAVERY, BUT THE LORD HE LET HIM SEE THAT THE PEOPLE HE PUT BREATH IN EVERY MOTHER'S SON WAS FREE. AND THERE'S OTHERS WHO THINK LIKE PHARAOH, AND THEY CALL THE SCRIPTURES LIAR, FOR THE BIBLE SAYS, A SERVANT IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE. AND YOU CAN'T GET AROUND OR THROUGH THAT, AND YOU CAN'T GET OVER IT. FOR WHATEVER PLACE YOU GET IN, THIS HERE BIBLE, TOO, WILL FIT.
SO YOU SEE THE LORD'S ATTENTION, EVER SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN, WAS THAT HIS ALMIGHTY FREEDOM SHOULD BELONG TO EVERY MAN. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF I PAUSE AGAIN TO SAY, THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR FREEDOM IN A BIBLE-ISTIC WAY. BUT THE MOSES IS A-COMING AND HE'S COMING SOON AND FAST. WE CAN HEAR HIS FEET A-TROMPING, WE CAN HEAR HIS TRUMPET BLAST. BUT I WANT TO WARN YOU, PEOPLE, DON'T GET TOO FIGGIDY DON'T YOU GO LONGING ABOUT THESE THINGS, WAIT AND SEE, YOU WAIT AND SEE. BUT WHEN MOSES WITH HIS POWER COMES TO SET US CHILDREN FREE, WE WILL PRAISE THE GRACIOUS MASTER THAT HAS GIVEN US LIBERTY AND WE'LL SHOUT OUR HALLELUJAHS ON THAT MIGHTY RECKONING DAY WHEN WE IS RECOGNIZED AS CITIZENS.
CHILDREN LET US PRAY! |