1 Herod’s high and mighty stand
Showed the power at his command,
Slaughtered children in the land:
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us.
2 Mary wept, she understood,
Wept as every mother should,
Ramah’s echo, death to good:
Chorus
3 Surely force has had its day,
Brutish whim and power’s display;
Yet our actions hurt betray:
Chorus
4 Seen on every paper’s page,
Words of hate and fists of rage,
Signs of greed in every age:
Chorus
5 Anger still inflicts the pain,
Each excuse is seen as lame,
Yet again we bear the shame:
Chorus
6 Till through this and every time
People cease from heinous crime,
Till with peace their actions rhyme:
Chorus
VERSION IN SONGS FOR A NEW MILLENIUM (7 7 7 D and refrain)
1 Herod’s high and mighty stand
Showed the power at his command,
Slaughtered children in the land:
Mary wept, she understood,
Wept as every mother should,
Ramah’s echo, death to good:
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us.
2 Surely force has had its day,
Brutish whim and power’s display;
Yet our actions truth betray:
Seen on every paper’s page,
Words of hate and fists of rage,
Signs of greed in every age:
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us.
3 Anger still inflicts the pain,
Each excuse is seen as lame,
Yet again we bear the shame:
Till through this and every time
People cease from heinous crime,
Till with peace their actions rhyme:
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy,
Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) From: Whatever name creed, No.28 (1999) & Songs for the new millennium.
Words © 1999, Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Tune: HOLY INNOCENTS (Ian Sharp) Whatever name creed, No.28
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