| 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! |
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