Mercy Don't Come When She's

[INTRO — piano, soft xylophone] Mercy... Well, suit yourself. [VERSE 1] Mercy sleeps where the warm light falls Leaves when the company comes Never cared much for Sunday talk Or what a good book says gets done She'll sit with a thief till morning Walk out on an honest man I've seen her wait beside the dying And leave the living where they stand [PRE-CHORUS] You can beg You can bargain You can promise everything Mercy never learned obedience And don't owe a soul a thing [CHORUS] Mercy don't come when she's called Don't come running at all She'll find you when she finds you Or pass you in the hall Kings have gone without her Sinners held her close Mercy don't come when she's called Mercy comes when Mercy knows [VERSE 2] Mercy likes an open doorway And somewhere quiet to lie She knows who's only pretending Knows who came to say goodbye Sometimes she's there at supper Sometimes gone for days Leave something warm beside the fire She still might turn away [CHORUS] Mercy don't come when she's called Don't come running at all Preacher tried to name her Judge tried making law Some swear they never needed her Some need her most of all Mercy don't come when she's called Mercy comes when Mercy calls [BRIDGE — bass, floorboard knocks, xylophone] Don't chase Mercy. You'll only make her leave. Don't hold Mercy. That's not how Mercy stays. And if she settles near you— Don't ask what you did to deserve it. [VERSE 3] Mercy crossed the room last evening Nobody spoke her name Old Jack smiled into his whiskey Like he understood the game She lingered near the doorway Then disappeared by dawn Funny how a room feels different After Mercy's gone. [FINAL CHORUS] Mercy don't come when she's called Never has, never will She'll visit the unforgiven Leave saints waiting still You can lock every window You can open every door Mercy don't belong to anybody. That's what makes her Mercy.