by Bob Franke
In a still small voice in the middle of the night
Brother Martin heard the simple truth.
And he followed its pleading though it led to a crossroads
Parting in the days of my youth.
From the heart of my city came a single scream,
And I heard it through all the white noise.
And the papers told me that they’d killed the dream,
But they never killed the still small voice.
All the lies come at you in a million ways:
Some you hear & some you tell yourself.
And they say that virtue is a pile of gold,
And that weapons are a nation’s wealth.
But when kings stand naked in their ugly schemes
Will the poor of this world rejoice?
Will they sell their children down a bloody stream
Or will they listen to a still small voice?
Now the one-eyed bandit in your living room
Will convince you that you have no time.
It will swear to take you on your one free ride
While it’s looking for your last dime.
But the light of heaven is a simple gift:
You can see it when you make that choice.
It will shine like riches in your inmost heart
But it will speak in a still small voice.
Oh the sky will open when the trumpet sounds,
And the thunder will shake these walls.
And these stones so silent as they ring us ‘round:
They will shatter when they hear that call!
And these chains will clatter when they hit the ground,
And the people make a joyful noise.
But when my Lover comes to call me home
It will be in a still small voice.
lyrics & music by Bob Franke
Songpage in The Music Box
The refrain line “still small voice” comes from 1 Kings 19:11-12:
Then God said [to the prophet Elijah], “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [came] a still small voice.