Hound of Heaven Hymns - Herod's song

Herod's song

I speak the language of power
brute force with cunning and lies
three magi enter this hour
questing a birth through the skies

a king is born on this earth
a wonder and promise to be
God with us here in this birth
a friend and saviour is he

I send them on to the child
to find this promise of years
my anger and fear so wild
will lead to slaughter and tears

they leave and follow the star
to find the king of us all
whose love comes near from afar
to raise our world from the Fall

three gifts they leave in the hay
rare signs for love’s golden age
a dream now warns them away
from palace, me and my rage

I still can murder this threat
to me – and powers that wane
by sword round Bethlehem set
so every infant is slain

yet God then snatched him away
to safety far from my hate
they fled to Egypt to stay
till my death would seal my fate

there is one lesson to learn
hatred leads only to death
to God alone we must turn
let in with each fleeting breath