CHORUS
ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME
LET ME HIDE MYSELF IN THEE.
REC.
IT WAS A STYLISH CONGREGATION YOU COULD SEE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND
AND THEY HAD THE BIGGEST PIPE ORGAN OF ANY CHURCH IN TOWN.
BUT OVER IN THE AMEN CORNER OF THE CHURCH SET BROTHER IRA
AND HE INSISTED EVERY SUNDAY ON SINGING IN THE CHOIR. HIS VOICE
WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN AGE HAD TOUCHED HIS VOCAL CORDS AND
NEARLY EVERY SUNDAY HE WOULD GET BEHIND AND MISS THE WORDS. THEN
AT LAST THE STORM CLOUD BURST AND THE CHURCH WAS TOLD IN FINE THAT
BROTHER IRA MUST STOP HIS SINGING OR THE CHOIR WAS GOING TO RESIGN
AND SO THEY FORMED A COMMITTEE, I THINK IT WAS THREE OR FOUR,
AND THEY GOT IN THEIR BIG FINE CAR AND DROVE UP TO IRA'S DOOR.
THEY FOUND THE CHOIR'S GREATEST TROUBLE SITTING IN AN OLD ARM
CHAIR. THE SUMMERS GOLDEN SUNBEAMS LAY UPON HIS SNOW WHITE HAIR.
SAID WERE HERE DEAR BROTHER WITH THE BEST REPRESENTATION TO
DISCUSS A LITTLE MATTER THAT EFFECTS THE CONGREGATION.
NOW IT SEEMS YOUR VOICE IS INTERFERING WITH THE CHOIR SO IF
YOU WOULD JUST LAY OUT OR'RE ARE YOU LISTENING BROTHER IRA
THE OLD MAN RAISED HIS HEAD A SIGN THAT HE DID HEAR AND ON HIS
CHEEK THE THREE MEN CAUGHT THE GLITTER OF A TEAR. HIS FEEBLE HANDS
PUSHED BACK THE LOCKS AS WHITE AS SNOW AND HE ANSWERED THE
COMMITTEE IN A VOICE MOST SOFT AND LOW.
I'VE SUNG THE SONGS OF DAVID FOR NEARLY 80 YEARS
SAID HE THEY'VE BEEN MY STAFF AND COMFORT ALL ALONG LIFE'S
DREARY WAY. I'M SORRY IF I MESS UP THE CHOIR I GUESS I'M DOING
WRONG. BUT WHEN MY HEART IS FILLED WITH PRAISE I CAN'T HOLD BACK
A SONG I WONDER IF BEYOND THE TIDE THAT'S BREAKING AT FEET IN THAT
FAR OFF HEAVENLY TEMPLE WHERE MY MASTER I SHALL MEET YES I WONDER
WHEN I TRY TO SING THE SONGS OF GOD UP HIGHER IF THEY'LL KICK ME
OUT UP THERE FOR SINGING IN HEAVEN'S CHOIR.
A SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM THE OLD MAN BOWED HIS HEAD.
THE COMMITTEE WENT ON BACK TO TOWN BUT BROTHER IRA WAS DEAD.
THE CHOIR MISSED HIM FOR A WHILE BUT HE WAS SOON FORGOTTEN
A FEW CHURCH GOERS WATCHED THE DOOR BUT THE OLD MAN ENTERED NOT.
BUT FAR AWAY HIS VOICE IS SWEET FOR HE SINGS HIS HEART'S DESIRE
FOR IN HEAVEN THERE ARE NO CHURCH COMMITTEES AND NO FASHIONABLE
CHOIR.