The pastor of Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ found my track “Our Father” on the Wild Goose compilation and he made this music video that he showed in his worship service. The lyrics to the song are below.
“Our Father,” forgive these games we play
Thinking that “Who art in heaven” means you’re far away
So we say, “Hallowed be thy name”
Though we’re using your name for shameful deeds;
We’re making other nations bleed
With your cross, we claim their beaches
To the furthest reaches of our empire:
that’s what we call “thy kingdom come.”
We say “Thy will be done,” then let the market decide
Whether doing your will can be justified,
‘Cause what doesn’t profit doesn’t count
It’s kinda like that old Sermon on the Mount:
Does it really apply “on earth as it is in heaven?”
‘Cause Earth has different rules;
We tell our kids to act the same in school as they do in church,
But leave our Bibles on prominent display at home
‘cause we’re running late for work,
Foot on the gas, to speed past the homeless guys.
“Give us our daily bread,” they cry,
We’re so quick to reply to them instead:
“Go, be warm, and well fed.
There’s a shelter somewhere.
Have a good Christmas.”
“Forgive us our trespasses;”
This isn’t literal though
‘Cause we would never go where we don’t belong;
We believe in strong values like membership cards
And fenced-in yards;
That’s why we put our kids in Christian schools
And why we avoid all the public pools
Where those other kids break all the rules;
“We forgive those who trespass against us.”
They can park their car on the street if it doesn’t have rust;
They can step on our grass from time to time;
As long as they know not to cross the invisible line
‘Cause our dog’s not always too kind.
“Lead us not into temptation.”
This is one in which we have no doubt;
‘Cause we’ve firewalled temptation out –
We keep our kids clean ‘cause we keep them in the gate
They’ll never be a burden on the state
“Deliver us from evil.”
We’re not sure what it is to be delivered,
Never shivered all alone with no place to go;
But we know what evil is though;
And we hope they lock them up; one thing’s for sure
If they put them all in jail, we can feel secure…
“For thine is the kingdom.”
We know this neighborhood is ours ‘cause you gave it to us
It shows that you came especially to save us
“And the power” that you blessed us with,
Well, we never get enough of it;
“And the glory” — we will always point to you
In every endzone dance that we do;
“Forever,” at least until you knock us down again;
Convict us of our sin,
Teach us our need to be forgiven;
So that we can say “Amen” by the way that we’re living,
And not just as the last word in a prayer.