Our lives are dust, our bread is dust,
still yet we live and have blood
Oh, agony! My heart goes out,
a flame before the flood
Washed away, cast about,
on what rock can I stand?
The waves of woe, alas! unto;
I've built upon the sand!
Does no one hear? Is nothing fast?
the silence groans, builds, roars!
Why this torment now inflict,
beyond torment of existing sores?
O God, oh why did I not trust?
why did I mock the way?
Now gnash my teeth, and lie beneath
the dull and heaving wave.
O Mighty, that I should have knelt,
my cares an anchor upon the Cross,
For in time, either way, though differently,
I would count it all as loss.
Lo, lo, and can it be?
Right then, my Christ, He sung out to me:
"O, my child, why are you grieving?
Why disquieted in Me?
Hope in God, your faith retrieving;
He will still your Refuge be."
Still? Still?
But I drowned beneath the wave!
"Nay, child, child...
It was I within your grave.
And you in Me, and I in you,
so we together died.
And when I rose, you rose, too:
I oped the tomb up wide."
My Lord, Lord, how can this be,
for I did naught to change?
"That's right, " said He, "I AM the One
Who did with you exchange."
Abba, Father, how can I ever repay?
For, it's "eye for an eye": life for a life.
"Well, then die in Me, be dead to thee;
I've made you my Holy Wife.
Still, son and daughter: you cannot repay the price of the Lamb:
that's why the Lamb paid the price.
But two worthless birds, the price for the poor,
I yet will take and bless over twice."
