Hello

Written and recorded by a group of Tucson songwriters and musicians from different generations, denominations, and ethnicities, Laments was born from a desire to musically contextualize the biblical book of Lamentations to our current culture. We began meeting together in December of 2019, unaware of what would unfold over the coming months. The songwriting process ended up being heavily shaped, in real time, by the pandemic outbreak, national riots, and the many untold challenges of 2020. The result is an album of self-reflection and questioning, anger toward the evil we experience in our world, and a longing for things to be made right. Our prayer is that these songs, these Laments, provide a space for people to see Jesus in the midst of confusion and doubt, grief and sorrow, injustice and loss.

LAMENTATIONS 1:12, 16, 20-22

"Does it mean nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look around and see if there is any suffering like mine,
which the Lord brought on me
when he erupted in fierce anger.

For all these things I weep;
tears flow down my cheeks...
Oh, bring the day you promised,
when they will suffer as I have suffered.

Look at all their evil deeds, Lord.
Punish them,
as you have punished me
for all my sins.
My groans are many,
and I am sick at heart."

Track 1: Do You See

Do we see with His Son's eyes
Do we see the mommas they're on their knees crying
Do we see our brothers on the street corners dying
Those who stand behind the pulpit lying
Do we see the ladies being sold as slaves
Only value their bodies so they say let's slay
Do we see the confusion of our sexual ways
Everything is accepted, guess that's the new wave
And are the fathers still leaving their homes
And people get a rise out of hurting the poor
Tired of waiting Lord, when you taking charge
We just wanna live our lives and in the end hear good job
He says that we're the answer, but we don't get it
They're banning His voice, why don't He come fix it
He put it back on us, He says we have His Spirit
But I can't see how we can make any difference
Man, it's hard to see how we can make any difference

Do you see what we see
Do we share the same thought
Is it hard to stand by and not turn our eye

He gave us a heart like his
Do we shed his tears, do we ever lament
I guess we're too distracted by our marriages
They crumble like bricks, kids scared from the split
Or is it the back and forth on
If an unborn baby is living being yet
Or maybe it's oppression, the depression got us stressing
Taking all the pills just to deal with it
They listen to the father of lies
He fuels the wars and the genocides
It's hard to even go outside
Got my hazard suit on during a date night
These days got us questioning everybody
Cough, sneeze, no mask on, threat to everybody
And we're saying God, go get everybody
But we have the beautiful feet, we're His body
We have the beautiful feet, we're His body

Do you see what we see
Do we share the same thought
Is it hard to stand by and not turn our eye
Are we afraid to speak out
Through all the questions and doubt
Do we avoid it
Can we feel it

How the city grieves that something isn't right
Her people shun the ones they never meant to fight
What was disgraceful now is open in plain sight
Lord how long, oh how long

Do you see what we see
Do we share the same thought
Is it hard to stand by and not turn our eye
Are we afraid to speak out
Through all the questions and doubt
Do we avoid it
Can we feel it

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LAMENTATIONS 2:1-8; 18

"The Lord in his anger
has cast a dark shadow over beautiful Jerusalem...

Cry aloud before the Lord,
O walls of beautiful Jerusalem!
Let your tears flow like a river
day and night.
Give yourselves no rest;
give your eyes no relief."

Track 2: Set Right

The Lord in His anger
What about mine
He has His freedom
I'm doing my time
Lying here in wait
With no place to go
God has the last say
The plans that He knows

The world is no longer
The place we celebrate
The broken are waiting
Waiting for aid
Trying to understand
Where justice has gone
But God has the last say
Oh when will He come

I thought, I thought, I thought I knew
I thought I knew what to do
I thought, I thought, I thought I knew
I thought I knew what to do

When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right

People cry out
Truth, liberty
Falling on deaf ears
As we scroll on our screens
So much hurt and anger
The wounds are too deep
But God has the last say
Will He set them free

I thought, I thought, I thought I knew
I thought I knew what to do
Oh Lord, yes I did, yes I did
I thought, I thought, I thought I knew
I thought I knew what to do

Oh, when will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world...
I wanna know
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right

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2 PETER 3:13

"But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness."

Track 3: Interlude I (When Will the World Be Set Right)

When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world...

When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right
When will the world be set right

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LAMENTATIONS 3:17-26, 32

"...The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!..."

Track 4: Your Love

When sorrow consumes our nights and days
And hope seems covered by the dark
When our souls are searching for Your face
Wondering where You are

But we still believe a new day will rise
We trust in Your faithfulness
As we believe a new day will rise

Your love, Your love is always there
Your love, Your love is always there
Even when we can't see
Even in our doubting
Your love, Your love is always there
Your love, Your love is always there
Even when we can't see
Even in our doubting
Your love never fails!

You're our hope, the One we look to
So great Your love, Your goodness
We call your name, we trust in you
It's where we place our confidence

'Cause we still believe a new day will rise
We trust in Your faithfulness
As we believe a new day will rise

Your mercies are new every morning
Great is Your faithfulness
Your mercies are new every morning
Great is Your faithfulness
Your mercies are new every morning
Great is Your faithfulness
Your mercies are new every morning

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LAMENTATIONS 3:55-57

"But I called on your name, Lord,
from deep within the pit.
You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, 'Do not fear.'"

Track 5: Interlude II (I Know I'm Not Alone)

Your love is always with me
Even now although I can't see
You are here
I know I'm not alone

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LAMENTATIONS 4:17; MATTHEW 5:14-16

"We looked in vain for our allies
to come and save us,
but we were looking to nations
that could not help us."

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

Track 6: Show Us How

Well I've looked through the stained glass
And seen all the pain and despair
And I thanked You for saving my family
And friends from out there
Yet my soul was astir from the words
That I heard You say
But to put them to practice
I can't seem to find a way

Show me how
Show me how
And I hear that You're calling
I feel You are drawing me out
And I've heard all the words
But I need You to show me how

There's an anguish inside
That is growing and pride is the culprit
When there's such a divide
From the people outside and the pulpit
And I hear that You're calling
I feel You are drawing me out
And I've heard all the words
But I need You to show me how

Show me how
Show me how
And I hear that You're calling
I feel You are drawing me out
And I've heard all the words
But I need You to show me how

So take these words inside our mouths
And show us how to live them out
Take these words beneath our tongues
And give us new songs to be sung

Take these words inside our mouths
And show us how to live them out
Take these words beneath our tongues
And give us new songs to be sung

Take these words inside our mouths
And show us how to live them out
Take these words beneath our tongues
And give us new songs...

Show us how
Show us how
And we hear that You're calling
We feel You are drawing us out
So show us how
Show us how
And we hear that You're calling
We feel You are drawing us out
So show us how
And we've heard all the words
But I need You to show us how
And we've heard all the words
But we need You to show us how
And we've heard all the words
But we need You to show us how
And we've heard all the words
But we need You to show us how
And I've heard all the words
But I need You to show me how

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LAMENTATIONS 5:1, 19-22

"Lord, remember what has happened to us.
See how we have been disgraced!...

But Lord, you remain the same forever!
Your throne continues from generation to generation.
Why do you continue to forget us?
Why have you abandoned us for so long?
Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again!
Give us back the joys we once had!
Or have you utterly rejected us?
Are you angry with us still?"

Track 7: Remember Us

Lord, we're praying for our city
It's dried out
Living Water is what we desire
Come rain down
Locked arms in the land we call Tuc-Town
Fighting for change on the daily
We Bear Down
We declare people turn away from poverty mentalities
Created by principalities
And we declare restoration of all families
Bridging all the gaps in between
And we envision every citizen
Living free in submission
No longer slaves to sin
And we're praying everybody
Will see You as almighty
The Creator over creation

In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah
In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah

Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, oh Lord, restore, my Lord
Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, oh Lord, restore, my Lord

My Lord, hope You feel our desperation
Father God, yes we pray for restoration
True indeed, yes we do believe
That You will bring unity
To the whole community
You make stable the unstable
Break away all the labels
You are more than just able
You made a spot at the table
For the rich and the poor
The young and the old
You hold open the door
You're the one in control
Spread Your love, love, love, love, love in the city
I believe that You are more than enough for this city
Unify the body
Remove our folly
Pray that we embody everything that's godly
We need Your love
We need Your healing
Help us fly above and remove the ceiling
Cover us in grace
You're more than generous
I pray You hear our heart's cry
My Lord, remember us

Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, oh Lord, restore, my Lord
Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, oh Lord, restore, my Lord

In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh (Yahweh)
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah
In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh (Yahweh)
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah
In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh (Yahweh)
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah
In the streets they'll be shouting Yahweh (Yahweh)
Praise be the Ancient of Days, yeah

Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, oh Lord, restore, my Lord
Oh my Lord, remember us
Restore, my Lord, restore, oh Lord

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PSALM 121:1

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from?"

Track 8: We Lift Our Eyes

We lift up our eyes to You
Come heal our home
We lift up our eyes to You
Come make us whole
We lift up our eyes to You
Come heal our homes
We lift up our eyes to You
Come make us whole

Take these words inside our mouths
And show us how to live them out
Take these words beneath our tongues
And give us new songs to be sung
Take these words inside our mouths
And show us how to live them out
Take these words beneath our tongues
And give us new songs…

We lift up our eyes to You
Come heal our home
We lift up our eyes to You
Come make us whole
We lift up our eyes to You
Come heal our homes
We lift up our eyes to You
Come make us whole

ROMANS 15:13

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

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Track 9: God of Hope

May the God of hope
Fill you with all joy and peace
As you trust in Him
May the God of hope
Fill you with all joy and peace
As you trust in Him

So that you may overflow
With hope
By the power of the Holy Ghost

May the God of hope
Fill you with all joy and peace
As you trust in Him
May the God of hope
Fill you with all joy and peace
As you trust in Him

So that you may overflow
With hope
By the power of the Holy Ghost
By the power of the Holy Ghost
By the power of the Holy Ghost

May the God of hope
Fill you with all joy and peace
As you trust in Him

When will the world be set right
Show us how
Your love, Your love is always there