go on up to the mountain of mercy
to the crimson perpetual tide
kneel down on the shore
be thirsty no more
go under and be purified

at the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
on that beautiful scandalous night you and me
we're atoned by His blood
and forever washed white
on that beautiful scandalous night

steve hindalong and derri daugherty, copyright 1992 never say never songs/new spring publishing, inc/ascap

[some samples].


yesterday i received my merry-christmas-to-me package of several cds. i know i'm a little late on the "city on a hill" craze, but this song is my new obsession. as a matter of fact, this song is the sole reason for this particular album purchase. i suppose i'll get to the other songs eventually.

i am humbled and overwhelmed at this song's content and imagery. i know i'm in the wrong holiday here; but then again, christmas and easter are nothing without the other. we are in a season of advent -- a time of waiting; a time of anticipation; a time of arrival. but why the celebration? to the world, some illegitimate kid was born in a middle-of-nowhere stable. to God, the world had received His Son. to believers, it meant then as it does now: Emmanuel, God with us... our Savior has come. but we celebrate now with the added knowledge of the resurrection: we know the beautiful scandalous end of the story. we are indeed atoned; we are purified; our guilt extinguished.

rejoice.