Silence and Song

It'd break your heart with beauty,

His booming, dangerous voice

Reverberating over the high mount

With smoke and fire cloaked.

As His lawful lyrics

Danced from His holy lips,

With all the others I stood far away

And begged Him not to speak,

For every beat of my dark heart,

Pumping blood like Abel's,

Cried for condemnation.

“Touch and you will die,”

The LORD's voice swirled at Sinai.

After our rebellion

Time and time again,

After all the prophets, all His pleas, our sacrifices then

Silence.

If my conscience dared

Or my ache allowed,

Would I have cried, “Speak! Speak, LORD! Speak!”

And banged upon dark clouds?

He was silent for four-hundred years

Leaving Sinai's song ringing in our ears

Until at last the Sunrise

Set the sky ablaze,

And God's new song resounded strong and sweet, His final Word for always:

Jesus.

And as His blood streams golden

Like a melody,

It speaks a better word than Abel's could,

From wide-armed Calvary,

A round and full and certain word -

Forgiveness of our sins.

The risen Sun of righteousness

Bursts warm from out the clouds

Singing back to God His holy song.

With tender mercy, loud,

He over sickened sinners sings

And flies with healing in His wings.