The Psalmodity of Presence

"As the kingdom of David crumbled from within and eventually fell to Babylonian imperialism, the temple psalmodists continued to praise Yahweh as the lord of Zion, the soverign of nature, and the judge of history.
...
They sang the hidden God. Others were tortured by an obsession for God. They sang the hauntingness of presence. A few reached a plateau of confident serenity. They sang the sufficient grace.
...
their complaint amounted in effect to a confession of faith. To be aware of divine hiddenness is to remember a presence and to yearn for its return. The presence of an absence denies its negativity."
-Samual L. Terrien On the Psalmody of Presence p198

Everlasting

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out 

- Hillsong United 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGgA2lIDjc

"What I've Done"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef-N7aGtgck

In this farewell
There's no blood
There's no alibi
Cause I've drawn regret
From the truth
Of a thousand lies

So let mercy come
And wash away

What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

Put to rest
What you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands
Of uncertainty

So let mercy come
And wash away

What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

For what I've done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving what I've done

I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

What I've done
Forgiving what I've done

Imagine Me

Imagine me...
No longer trapped on the block
Standin' on the corner with my nine and my glock
Taking the road less traveled which for sure is harder to climb
But the view's so much clearer along the way to the top.

Imagine me...
Movin' from street Thug to Man of Valor
Not goin' toe to toe with knuckleheads over little things that don't matter
Like who stepped on my shoe and who's been lookin' too hard at my grill... I just chill
No longer chasin' paper that don't satisfy
Just like a new ride, crib, and nights of sex.

Imagine me...
No longer gettin' wet in a sea of sin
But drownin' in a ragin' river of livin' water- Man...imagine that.
Picture me swellin' with purpose off tha charts!
And walking in purpose? That brings flava to my heart
'Cause purpose ain't confined to the four blocks I've known my whole life.
Imagine me overcomin' internal strife, which is greater than any external foe or casualty
Imagine me free- and not just gettin' my GED
But finishin' college- even graduate school
Storing up tools to travel outside my comfort zone and see the world that truly lies before me...
Don't ignore me, but dream of things that can be.
Imagine me no longer needing to cop a plea, nor desiring to run the streets
Even though it's been the home that nurtured me.

Imagine me waling in the light of destiny
And the light breaks through the darkness of broken lives.
Breaking through all the stereotypes that say "we ain't nothin but problems!"
Who can solve them?

Imagine you and me
No longer wasting our lives away in defeat but making a difference where we are...
Yeah. Imagine me giving in to that heavenly star which signified the birth of my Savior
Jesus Christ: Imagine that price he paid- his life-giving sacrifice
Because of my thuggin' and druggin', disrespect and late night rendezvous
He had to choose- save himself or save me...
Talk about taking the rap for someone elses' crime-
Now I'm free- salvation received all because Christ loved me and I believed
This is serious.
God's dream for me became my imagination and now I can...
Imagine me.

--Allen Paul Weaver III

My Eyes Have Seen Holy

Am I unfit for You
Remember me, the one who turned from You
I come in rags tattered by the Fall
And all the earth, a witness to my crime

Mercy, weep over me
Let Your tears wash me clean
Majesty, be merciful with me
For my eyes have seen Holy

Hear my prayer at night
Let the morning find me alive
For I am tired and weakened by the Fall
Let all the earth bear witness to my cry

Let the Amen sound from Heaven as You lift my soul
Let the Amen sound from Heaven as You lift my soul
Let the Angels sound from Heaven, Holy is the Lord

--Bebo Norman and Jason Ingram

Paul on Living and Walking by the Spirit

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law."

...

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."

--Galatians 5:13-18; 5:25-6:2

Pieces lyrics

I'm here again
A thousand miles away from you
A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am
I tried so hard
Thought I could do this on my own
I've lost so much along the way

Then I'll see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole

I've come undone
But you make sense of who I am
Like puzzle pieces in your eye

Then I'll see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole!

I tried so hard! So hard!
I tried so hard!

Then I'll see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole
So you can make me whole

--RED