The Song of Mark, Chapter 13
Epic poem retelling chapter 13 of the gospel according to Mark, with dramatic background music.
Dramatic presentation of epic poems on the life of Jesus.
Spirit Song Text presents original poetic paraphrases of the four new testament gospels with dramatic musical background to enhance understanding of the stories. Each song is an entire chapter from the biblical book. Writing and production of these gospel epics is by Jabez Van Cleef, a poet living in Madison, NJ (USA).
Story behind the song
To provide people with a way to sing the gospel. I offer a liberal use policy for musicians who would like to use these texts to produce their own songs.
Lyrics
13.
Peter, Andrew, James and John,
Sat in the shade, out of the sun,
Saying to Jesus, Tell us when!
Tell us what will be the sign!
Put not your faith in stones conjoined,
Nor on an earthly house depend.
However high these spires may be,
There comes the day when stones will fly.
This temple, and this mighty wall
Will to a field of rubble fall.
Let not false prophets blind your eye
And lead your little band astray.
Great wars and talk of wars must be,
But all these little signify.
Nations and kingdoms will conflict,
Earthquake and famine intersect,
But you should for yourselves take heed,
And bring the word to those in need.
Fly the good word across the sea,
Seeking out those in misery,
And when men bring you up for trials
You need not fear their chains or jails.
And when you stand before the sword
And they ask you for your last word,
Fear nothing when you testify,
The Holy Spirit will supply.
The father will his child betray,
One brother will another slay;
And everyone will call you vile
For speaking truth to one and all.
But at the end, if you endure,
You will be with me safe and sure.
The desolating sacrilege
Will drive you to the mountain’s edge;
Hold not tight to your petty spoils,
Or turn back for domestic toils.
And pity those with babe in suck
When winter cold and wind will wrack,
For such a trial has never been
Since God with clay created man.
The mercy of the Lord of life
Shortens your days and ends all strife,
Let you be there with the elect
False Christs and prophets to reject.
Signs and wonders will disappear,
And taking heed, you will see clear.
So when the sun and moon go out
And all the stars fall at your feet,
Then the rock that holds up the sky
Will shake, and yield its mystery,
And then the Son of man will come
In pow’r and glory take you home,
And angels wing the chosen ones
To worlds bright as a million suns.
Learn from the scrolling leaf o’th’ fig:
As summer comes, the shoots grow big;
You hear the clamor at the gate:
And how long must your spirit wait?
In your own lifetime you will see
All of these things I prophesy –
Heaven and earth may pass away,
But my words in your ears will stay.
And you will never know the hour
Wherein comes the celestial power.
Take heed and watch, for you know not
From what fell hand is cast your lot;
As when the servants watch and wait
For their dear master by the gate –
And when the keeper of the gate
Watches yet closer, through the night –
So must you watch with open eye,
To see and hear this mystery,
Lest it come sudden, while you sleep,
Leaving your soul itself to keep.
