The Church Was Praying

INTRO (hummed choir, organ) VERSE 1 Herod raised his sword against the church, James was taken and slain; Then he seized Peter at the Passover, Bound him with a double chain. Four squads of soldiers watched the door, The morning trial was set; But the king forgot a mighty thing: The church was praying yet. CHORUS (call and response) The church was praying, (praying) Without ceasing, (praying) In the midnight, (praying) For the prisoner in the jail; The church was praying, And prayer will not fail. VERSE 2 Peter slept between two soldiers, An angel struck his side: "Get up quickly, wrap your cloak on," And the chains fell from his wrists wide. The iron gate that led to the city Opened of its own accord; Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know it was the Lord." CHORUS BRIDGE (tempo lifts) Knock, knock at Mary's door, Rhoda heard his voice and ran! "It's Peter! Peter's at the gate!" "You are mad! It is his angel!" they began. But he kept on knocking, kept on knocking, And they opened, and they saw; The Lord had brought him out of prison Around the tyrant's law. VERSE 3 Herod sat in royal robes, The people shouted, "God!" But he did not give God glory, And he fell beneath His rod. Kings will rise and kings will perish, Thrones will crumble into dust; But the word of God increased and multiplied, And in Him we put our trust. FINAL CHORUS (jubilee tempo, full choir) OUTRO And prayer will not fail.