(Spoken) “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.” (Verse 1 - keyboard/piano/guitar - Male vocals baritone) We stack bricks and call them everlasting We draw borders, then we call them home We elect our saviors every few Novembers We salute the flag and die alone We comfort ourselves with small, polite rebellions Sins we dress in Sunday clothes and cologne (Pre-Chorus - 3 part harmonies ) We crown what kills us slowly We kiss the hand that holds the knife We name our chains “freedom” And call the cage our life (Chorus - build intensity) But You say, “I have never left you orphans I am the Tree—your every fruit is Mine My paths are straight and merciful The upright walk them, the broken realign” (Verse 3) So we come like children caught in the wreckage Hands full of ashes, mouths full of lies Forgive us, take us, deliver us Turn us from the altars of our eyes We have nothing left that wasn’t first a gift And every gift is burning to be given back again (Bridge – spoken, instruments fall to a heartbeat) You have promised to love us freely To turn Your anger like the page To blot out every accusation To remember only our new name You have promised to make us new When we have forgotten who we could be (Final Chorus – voices join, harmony thickens) We return to you. We return to your plan. We return to you. We return to your love. We return to you. You will build us up out of the ruin You will heal the ground beneath our shame You will plant us where the river widens And every leaf will carry Your name Who are we, who are we That You should do this? Only dust You once bent down to kiss We return to you. We return to your plan. We return to you. We return to your love. We return to you. (Spoken) You have shown who You are And we have nothing left to hide. Make us rise, to be your success, to make your beauty shine through us. Because we come to You as the God who provides. These earthly Idols fail - our sins make us fall Only You can forgive us and make us new. Only you can raise us up. We return to you. We return to your plan. We return to you. We return to your love. We return to you. We return to you. We return to your plan. We return to you. We return to your love. We return to you.
