The Redemption Song
Source: The Stone Fiddle by Paddy Tunney
Location: New Edition, page 57 / 58 / 59
Good people great and small, of any faith at all,
Come gather round and listen to my story,
Concerning God above, the abundance of his love,
Our Creator and Almighty King of Glory.
The Commandment from on high was increase and multiply
And spread throughout the earth and every nation.
Our first parents they obeyed, then their innocence did trade
For mess of potage, death and desolation.
Driven forth from Eden fair by the Serpent’s cunning snare,
Looking back, the flaming sword they still saw turning.
Adam toiled and Eve she span and begot the sons of man
All through bitter sweat and blood and sore heart-burning.
Hard beset by mortal fears they traversed the Vale of Tears
For the heritage of Heaven they had squandered.
But a Saviour would be sent, if from sin they would repent
‘Twas the promise that sustained them as they wandered.
On that cold December morn when the Son of God was born,
All the men of Mammon spurned him as a stranger.
Though he came their souls to win, there was no room at the inn,
So, his mother Mary laid him in a manger.
Heaven’s angels spread the news and glad tidings to the Jews
That a King was born the force of sin to sunder.
And the Magi say the Star and they followed from afar,
And they knelt in awe and worshipped him with wonder.
When he grew to man’s estate and the Good News did relate,
All the leprous, the blind and lame came forth to hear him,
For he healed their hearts of strife and the dead were raised to life.
He forgave the sinners great who did draw near him.
But the chief priests and the scribes, by foul means and falser bribes,
Sought to undermine the tenets of his teaching.
But the trurth he did expound, and their sages did confound
When in temple or on mountain he was preaching.
As an earnest of his task, he would eat with them the Pasch;
The Apostles would remember his example.
But the crowds that gathered round spread palm branches on the ground
As in triumph he rode forward to the Temple.
Though with one voice they did sing loud hosannas to their King,
Still he knew that Peter soon was to deny him.
In the space of six short days, they would change from songs of praise
To the shouts of crucify him! crucify him!
Father let they will be done, was the cry of God’s own Son,
As he sweated blood to win us sinners pardon.
In that dark before the day, he was seized and led away.
Judas did his lord betray all in the Garden.
Then false testimony they bore and high-priests their garments tore,
And reviled him with their wicked, bitter scorning.
For thirty pieces he was sold, as the Scripture does unfold,
And convicted on a Good Friday morning.
Jesus Christ was crucified and between two thieves he died,
As the earth it shook and rocks were rent asunder.
And his scoffers feel in fright as the noon became they night,
While the Roman soldiers watched in awe and wonder.
But in three short days he rose, all triumphant o’er his foes
And redeemed us all from death and desolation.
Now we’re safe from Satan’s wrath, on the straight and narrow path
That will lead us home to Heaven and our Salvation.