[Intro] They were tired Sand in their teeth Tongues split Prayers hoarse Freedom Still felt like chains Because freedom Still felt like walking [Verse 1] They said We had graves in Egypt At least we knew the menu there At least we knew Whose boot was on our neck Predictable pain Is a strange kind of comfort Manna again This mystery bread They started calling miracles “Monotony” Started calling faithfulness “Not enough” So they spoke Against the One who split the sea Against the one who led them Cloud by day Fire by night They called His care Cruelty And the sand answered Snakes In the camp Every tent a triage Fangs like fiery needles Venom like truth Rushing Through the stories they told themselves Every complaint Echoing in the hissing You wanted something different Here it is [Chorus] People falling Dust rising Every heartbeat Louder than the shouting And when they finally cried We’ve sinned Help us He didn’t erase the snakes He gave them something To look at Lifted up In the middle of what hurt them Lifted up Where everyone could see [Verse 2] Moses in the workshop Hammer on copper Every strike A syllable of mercy He shapes the very image Of their anguish Bronze serpent Fixed on a pole Not hidden Not buried Not whispered about in corners He raises it high Above the bitten Above the bodies Above the fear Above the filthy bandages Whoever looks Lives Not whoever understands Not whoever behaves Whoever looks Eyes up From the wound To the wound Made image It makes No sense To heal By beholding The thing that marked you But grace Rarely asks permission From your logic [Chorus] So they stand there Shaking Veins burning Vision blurring Some too proud to glance Some too weak to lift their heads Some held up By trembling hands And the ones who look Breathe again Lifted up In the middle of what hurt them Lifted up Where everyone could see [Bridge] Centuries later Another wilderness Another crowd Another hunger For a different kind of bread And a Teacher Nicodemus in the dark Questions in his mouth Status in his sleeves How can this be Born again Start over When your bones already ache From the first try And Jesus says You remember the serpents You remember the pole You remember how the poison Met its match In a lifted image As Moses Lifted up the serpent In the desert So must the Son of Man Be lifted up Not a symbol this time Not bronze Not proxy Flesh And breath And heartbeat Hung high The very image Of our anguish Our venom Our violence Our secret shames Our loud rebellions Lifted Nailed in place Between sky and soil [Verse 3] Notice He doesn’t say As Moses lifted the serpent So I’ll teach better habits So I’ll offer a program So I’ll adjust your behavior He says So must I Be lifted up So that whoever looks Trusts Clings Whoever turns their gaze From their own failing pulse To my broken body Will have life That outlives Every wilderness Not whoever clerks the doctrine Not whoever gets the metaphor Whoever looks Snake-bit souls Stumbling toward a crucified cure [Chorus] Lifted up In the middle of what hurts us Lifted up Where everyone can see Between our curses And our confessions Between our suspicion And our surrender Not far away Not fenced off But right here On a hill In the middle of the camp Look And live [Bridge] I know that venom The slow burn of regret The numbness that creeps Up the limbs of your faith The lie that says This is just what you deserve This is what you get For wanting
