A Prayer for South Africa

To the tune of “How Great Thou Art”

Dear Lord on High, I see the need and hunger
That fill this land; on every face displayed
I feel the pain, I see the fear and anger
A people lost, their hopes and dreams betrayed

Then cries my soul, My Saviour God to Thee
How can this be, how can this be!
Then cries my soul, if now all men are free
How can this be, how can this be?

I see the greed, I see the rape and plunder
That rend our land, from sea to shining sea
While good men stand, in hopeless contemplation
And mothers fall to mourn on bended knee

Then cries my soul, My Saviour God to Thee
How can this be, how can this be!
Then cries my soul, if now all men are free
How can this be, how can this be?

I smell the rain, I hear the roll of thunder
Beneath my feet, my womb of blood-red earth
This blessed land, You’ve filled with such abundance
So wracked with pain, sweet country of my birth

And then I cry, Dear God how can this be!
Where shall it end, can we not see!
Till comes the day, there’s no more you and me
We’ll not be free, we’ll not be free!

Give us the will, to cast our past asunder
And cease to blame our skin, our history
That hand in hand, we build a new tomorrow
Where in this land, our children may live free

So sings my soul, My Saviour God to thee
Please let it be, please let it be
Pray make us whole, at peace in unity
Please let it be, please let it be…

Lyrics copyright 2014 © Paul Christie