How do you cover me

Where do I run

When my legs turn to lead?

Where do I turn

When there’s rocks in my head?

Where is the rock?

When I’ve laid myself bare

On the front, in the fire

In a swarm of crosshairs?

How do you cover me oh so well?

How do you heavenly, find me in hell?

How do you look at me

How do you shine

From this temple of dust?

Your blood has bought mine

Where are the ones

Who accuse me of wrong?

The prophet killers sons?

Where is the throng?

Where’re my accusers?

Only those with no blame

Stand in front of me now

Son of God, son of man

How do you cover me oh so well?

How do you heavenly find me in hell?

How do you look at me?

How do you shine

From this temple of dust?

Your blood has bought mine

Shepherd leaves the 99 safe

Shepherd seeks the one

Shepherd sings when the one is redeemed

More than for all in the fold.

He sings much more for the one who was lost

Than he sings for all in the fold

Why do I stray

With a shepherd like you?

Why do I wander

Mistrust and dislike you?

How do you love me

Let me count up the ways

Unending forgiveness

From a heart unrestrained

See how you cover me and nurse me to health

Look how your heavenly lights up my hell

Look how you look at me 

See how you shine

On this child of your mercy

Your blood has bought mine

You set your heart on me

Before my heart beat
You set the rhythm
Before my first breath
You formed the wind
Before my ears heard
You spoke creation
Before I set my foot
You set your heart
On
Me


Your yoke is easy
Your burden is light
Help me to try it
Comfort my fright

Because I feel broken
And scared of the pain
Take my hard heart
and soften it again


Before my heart broke
You saw redemption
Before my first hurt
You healed my pain
Before my hands harmed
Your hands were punctured
Before my falt’ring foot
You set your heart
On 
Me

Your sins are Forgiven

Look on me
Your sins are forgiven
Look at me
I see you
I hear you
Don't fear now
I'm near you
Your sins are forgiven
Look on me
Your sins are forgiven

Shame is not the end

Shame is not the end of the road

It’s the bottom of the hill

With a fork and a bend

Where I somehow slid

Did I not take direction?

Did I not read the signs?

Did I take a wrong turn

Drive the wrong side?

Whatever the case,

I am here in this place

With a fork and a bend

And a choice to be made:

Continue in shame and the circuit of sinning

A circular track with no end

And no clear beginning.

It looks so easy, and it won’t hurt my pride

I just dust off and keep cruising

Take the downhill ride

Or the steep walking track.

Up and off to the right;

The first step is clear

And the rest out of sight

It looks dark from the road

But if I lift up my eyes

To the far distant hills,

I can see the bright city

My heart leaps and thrills

My friend and my God

My king and my feast

Is preparing a place

Just for me

Where I’m free

“Take one step”

He calls out 

and his voice sounds so close

So I do

And the weight

Of my burden seems weightless

And I feel like my legs become wings

And the steep uphill track

Is still under my feet

But my feet are now floating

And my hands are both held

My lungs full with breath so alive and so fresh

The first step seemed so hard

And yet effortless now

As I fly and I skip with my God through the clouds.

Jesus made me beautiful

Jesus made me beautiful

His blood makes me New

His love is so powerful

His word is pure

His word is true

Jesus found me wounded

His love carried me

He soothed the fatal wound in me

His grace is now

Each day it’s new

Jesus gave me everything

His death for my own

He Forgave me everything

His blood is life

His spirit’s fire

Hold my heart

I am so glad

That your words found my melody

I feel so sad

That they’re heard so seldom

There is a way

That seems right to me

The end is death

And Father God weighs the hearts

Hold my heart Lord

Squeeze it

Breathe it

Weigh it

Feel it

See where it needs you to heal.

Hold me still Lord 

lead it

reveal it’s

Deepest

Darkest

Shine where I need you to see.

Oh my, my God

That my words ground your liberty

My MO God

Is stubborn idolatry

There is a way

That seems right to me

The end is death

And father God weighs the hearts

Hold my heart Lord

Squeeze it

Breathe it

Weigh it

Feel it

See where it needs you to heal.

Hold me still Lord 

lead it

reveal it’s

Deepest

Darkest

Shine where I need you to see.

I am so glad

You light my heart

You heal my hurt

You hold my hand

You help Me stand

Don’t let go

You feel small

The sea is big

Stone waves crash

You feel smashed

Don’t let go

Don’t let go

Hold on til the waters drop

I’m never going to move

I’m Under you.

Don’t let go

Don’t ever let go

You feel tall

King of the hill

King of the sand

You feel grand

Don’t let go

Don’t let go

Hold on when the castles fall

I’m never going to leave

I’m Beside you

Don’t let go

Don’t ever let go

You feel numb

Heart like stone

Loved ones far

You feel tar

Don’t let go

Don’t let go

In the heart of the black hole 

I’m even deeper in there

I’m Around you

Don’t let go

Don’t ever let go

You are sweet as the evening jasmine

You are sweet as the evening jasmine

Fine as a master jewellers mark

You are true as the fabled arrow 

that split the bullseye arrows shaft

You are pleasant as a sun shower

In the warmth of midday, early spring

You are kind as summer breezes

To the labourer; sweating, digging.

You are gentle like a blanket,

Resting softly on ancient knees

You are patient as a signpost

Whether or not the traveller heeds

You are soft and smooth as butter

On the bench for an hour or so

You take my breath and strength of knees

Like a solid solar plexus blow.

Everybody needs a place

Everybody needs a place
Where fashion can't find them
A little corner where their face
Is not distorted with pretense

Disappear without a trace
Someone else will dig the dead's grave
Everybody needs a place
Green and quiet in the sun

Song for my darling

Once I tried to pick you
Pull you up
Hold you close
Sadly you withered and wilted
So badly I bothered and badgered
As i tried to arrange you my way

You are not a flower
For my temporary pleasure
You are a rainfed garden to be tended tenderly

At times I've sought to wield you
Like an implement
Or a weapon
Your visage wore and weathered
As I tore and tilled and tethered
And tried to train you my way

You are not a tool
For my benefit or ease
You are the gold and pink of rise and set crowning my horizon

If I ever learn to love you
As is due you
Fine fair lady
I'd cast your mountains seaward
And lift you like a seabird
You could ride on the crest of my wave

You are green and lush and shady
You are gold and pink and lovely
You are my crowning glory and my favorite place to be

Amazing Grace (How sweet the taste)

Amazing grace how sweet the taste
That kissed this wretched face
I once was lost; a mangy stray
And now His table saves my place

I lift my head to see my masters face, expecting shame
Instead there's only mercy pouring down like waterfalls and raindrops

And it was was grace that taught my heart
The weight of sin and death
And grace that fear with love replaced
As lungs fill fresh with Holy breath

I lift my eyes to find my sinners fate, expecting blame
In place an empty tomb where sin was laid to rest and glory waiting

Through many dangers toils and snares
I scarcely find myself
And grace has found herself a muse
I gladly let her write my song

I lift my face to meet my loves embrace, expecting hurt
Instead He tells me all about his plans and how he missed our closeness

When I've been there a thousand years
Of bathing in the glory
I can't express the tenderness
That this poor frame cannot endure

I lift my voice to cry and sing the brand new song I'm full
With joy unspeakable and full of hope and faith and love forever

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

Domestic drear

Bailing out a sinking ship
Running aground seems easiest

Treading around in salty streams
Throwing a line to drowning dreams

7 O'Clock is a dog's ragdoll
Her face is calm but she's lost control

Everyone's home but no lights are on
You can't force a fire when the spark is gone

Wind in the billows: smoke everywhere
Now the lights are on, but there's nobody there

Love stops at nothing

Earth, quake, shudder and shake
Reel, rock, aftershock
Rocks melt, mountains explode
Fall apart

Faith ain't from round here
And hope's just passing through
Love is a medic on the move
Faith is a rope
Hope is a rock
And love's the tireless hands to pull you through.

Streets hurt, slip, lose face first
Homes break hearts when they burst
Rooms divide your world from mine
Far apart

Faith is a pane
Hope is a frame
Love is the sunlight flooding through
Faith won't go away
When hope outlasts the day
And love lights a home fire in the gloom

There's one way to weave them together
And no way to tear them apart.
Jesus' hands patient and clever
Stitch his scarred palms to my heart

Tears drop, pour til they break
Cracked face, seems hard to place
Heart stops, hurt turns to hate
I am lost

Faith turns my head
Hope holds my hand
Love clears my airway and I breathe
Faith seeks
Hope believes
Love stops at nothing til I'm free
Love stops at nothing

Living God

Breath
Into dust
Living God
Fire
From the blue
Living God
Death
Into something new
Living God
Shame
Into the brightest white
Living God

How lovely is your dwelling place O Lord
My soul faints and falls
For the covert of those walls
The sparrow and the swallow make their home
In the altar where I kneel
Before the Lord of Hosts, my King
My Living God

Hope
Into idle hands
Living God
Strength
To a broken man
Living God
To walk
On legs once lame
Living God
To leap
Out of a tiny cage
Living God

How lovely is your dwelling place O Lord
My soul faints and falls
For the covert of those walls
The sparrow and the swallow make their home
In the altar where I kneel
Before the Lord of Hosts, my King
My Living God

It ends right here
Dead in Christ
And it starts anew
With your breath of life
My Living God

Breath
Into dust
Living God
Fire
From the blue
Living God
Death
Into something new
Living God
Shame
Into the brightest white
Living God

Two rights

It's sick and it's sad and it makes me grieve
At the bad things
Borne on the wings
Of the loose twists and ruthless turns
Of fact, truth and tact you've put to good use
Yeah right,
Right
Wrong

Too many times
Two rights
Make a wrong

Each hard word said is a scar on your heart
And your head's the part
That starts the end
Of the best of friends
Amends immense
And your pride stands tall and high and hard as a Jericho wall
You think in time
The other wall
will fall

'Til then it's just right,
Right, left
Right, right, left
Right
Right
Wrong

Too many times
Two rights
Make a wrong

Mitch Murphy  2004-2005

It's not easy being green

I've given over to this world
Rendered Caesar's unto Caesar
Every other part I give to you
Take it
Please save it

If I wake before I die
I pray the Lord my steps to guide
And if I touch the spotty thing
I pray dear Lord please wash my clothing

It's not easy being green
Green and tender for the bruising
But tender's what you need
To mould me
Please mould me

If I wake before I die
I pray the Lord my steps to guide
And if I touch the spotty thing
I pray dear Lord please wash my clothing

I had a friend in apathy
He tried to smother my intention
I slit his throat while he was sleeping
He would have done the same to me
Goodnight apathy

If I wake before I die
I pray the Lord my steps to guide
And if I touch the spotty thing
I pray dear Lord please wash my clothing

Mitch Murphy  2003

In You I have Peace

The long tongs
Of their tongues pin me
And the hammers
Of their blunt words nail me
The bellows
Of their empty wisdom wail against me

But in you I have peace
The shade upon my right hand

Friend, friend, friend
Friend? Liar
They say love, love
Could you blaspheme the name of any higher?
And the dove, the dove
Is just a gentle white bird

But in you I have peace
My brother and my keeper

When everytime I try to smile
Facepaint and pantomime
When everytime I try to fly
Redtape and razorwire
When the bird on the wing
Is such a foreign thing

In you I have peace
My brother and my keeper
The shade upon my right hand


Mitch Murphy 2005

Sweet day

It's a sweet day
Wind on my back, sun on my face
It's a nice one
To keep it to myself
In my lap
Golden platter, silver spoon, the gravy train stops right outside my room
But that's not the track
To anywhere I want to be

Take a living coal
From off your altar
Purge my lips til they speak
The good things

Bring all your broken, mistreated and bruised
O taste and see, The Lord is good

I'm the one
The sun shines on
I got everything you want
But I count it all as dung
Save the freedom that Jesus won
And that's the track
To everywhere I want to be

Take a living coal
From off your altar
Purge my lips til they speak
The good things

Bring all your broken, mistreated and bruised
O taste and see, The Lord is good
Bring all your lame; they'll walk, the blind will see again

Mitch Murphy (sometime between 2004 and 2005)

A Lullaby for my little ones

Close your eyes
Don't let them open
'Til it's time to rise
Time to see the sunlight

Don't let the world
Trouble you none
Don't let it weigh
Heavy upon you
The evil today
Is enough for you now
And the good gifts of God
Cannot be traded

Drop your plans
Sink to the bottom
The wheel rolls unmanned
The sails rest while she's mooring

Wait for the wind
That speaks peace within
The spinnaker sags
Without her lover
The treasure you seek
Will find its own wings
And fields white as gold
Are yours in the morning

Close your eyes
Don't let them open
'Til it's time to rise
Time to see the sunlight

Don't let the world
Trouble you none
Don't let it weigh
Heavy upon you
The evil today
Is enough for you now
And the good gifts of God
Will greet you unfaded

Mitch Murphy  November 2011

Last man standing

Save a missile for me
cos I don't wanna be
the last man standing
Save the whales, save the refugees
save a place for me
under ground zero's shady tree

Jesus come quickly
the bell tolls for everybody else
Lord, make it swiftly
The whole world's gone to hell
There's tears on every corner

Brother, throw my guns to the ground
cos I don't wanna be found
the last man standing
Mama take these badges from me
cos I don't wanna see
another cause up in mirrors and smoke

Jesus come quickly
the bell tolls for everybody else
Lord make it swiftly
The whole world's gone to hell
There's tears on every corner

Give me a heart of flesh, a face of flint
if you want me to be
the last man standing
Give me words I won't repent
if you want me to be
the last man standing

Jesus come quickly
the bell tolls for everybody else
Lord make it swiftly
The whole world's gone to hell
Hope is a candle in a cyclone

Copyright Mitch Murphy 2008