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The Upside-Down Kingdom: Songs of the Beatitudes album cover
9 songs · 32:50

The Upside-Down
Kingdom

Songs of the Beatitudes

Nine songs exploring the Beatitudes, from poverty of spirit to the joy of faithfulness. Folk, blues, country, soul, reggae, worship, highlife, rock, and gospel meet in the promises of Matthew 5:3–12.

Words: Ben Adarkwa Dwamena, MD
Recordings produced with Suno.

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Empty Hands

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The nine songs

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3:26MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
I came to the end of the road I was on,
My pockets were empty, my strength was gone,
No list of my virtues, no ladder to climb,
Just a beggar at the door for the very first time.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
The ones with empty hands,
Heaven's door is standing open,
And the kingdom's in their hands.

[Verse 2]
I used to bring trophies to prove I was right,
I polished my record and held it to the light,
But grace doesn't barter and love doesn't sell,
It runs to the ones who can't save themselves.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
The ones with empty hands,
Heaven's door is standing open,
And the kingdom's in their hands.

[Bridge]
I've got nothing, Lord, but need,
Nothing but an open palm,
And You fill it with Your kingdom,
And You hold me in Your arms.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
The ones with empty hands,
Heaven's door is standing open,
And the kingdom's in their hands,
Yes, the kingdom's in their hands.

[Outro]
Empty hands...
Full of heaven.

[End]
4:08MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
There's a chair by the window that nobody fills,
A coat on the hook, and the house is too still,
I set out two cups out of habit each day,
And the silence sits down where you used to stay.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the ones who mourn,
Blessed are the broken and torn,
You won't weep forever in the night,
Comfort comes with the morning light.

[Verse 2]
I don't need a sermon, I don't need a speech,
I need a strong arm that is still in my reach,
And He doesn't hurry me, doesn't say "move on,"
He sits in the dark with me till the dawn.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the ones who mourn,
Blessed are the broken and torn,
You won't weep forever in the night,
Comfort comes with the morning light.

[Bridge]
Jesus wept, Jesus wept,
At the grave of a friend He loved, He wept,
So I know my tears are not in vain,
He's the One who walks me through the rain.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the ones who mourn,
Blessed are the broken and torn,
You won't weep forever in the night,
Comfort comes, comfort comes,
Comfort comes with the morning light.

[Outro]

[End]
3:14MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
My granddad never raised his voice,
He let the loud men have their noise,
He'd tip his hat and hold the door,
And always give a little more.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the gentle ones,
Who don't push and don't shove,
Who carry all their strength in love,
The whole wide earth is coming home
To the gentle ones.

[Verse 2]
The world says grab it, take your share,
Push your way up every stair,
But meekness isn't weak, my friend,
It's a wild horse gentled in the end,
Strength that answers to the reins,
Power held, but not in chains.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the gentle ones,
Who don't push and don't shove,
Who carry all their strength in love,
The whole wide earth is coming home
To the gentle ones.

[Bridge]
Jesus rode in on a donkey's back,
No army marching in His track,
The King of everything came low,
And that's the way the gentle go.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the gentle ones,
Who don't push and don't shove,
Who carry all their strength in love,
The whole wide earth is coming home,
The whole wide earth is coming home
To the gentle ones.

[Outro]

[End]
3:22MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
I'm hungry for a world that's right,
Where the hungry children eat tonight,
Where the scales are honest, the courts are fair,
And the widow's voice gets heard somewhere.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the hungry (hungry),
Blessed are the thirsty (thirsty),
Aching for the right,
You will be filled, you will be filled,
Every empty place made right.

[Verse 2]
And I'm hungry in my own heart too,
For a life that's clean and through and through,
Not just the world out there made new,
But the crooked places in me too.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the hungry (hungry),
Blessed are the thirsty (thirsty),
Aching for the right,
You will be filled, you will be filled,
Every empty place made right.

[Bridge]
Bread from heaven, living water,
Every son and every daughter,
Come and eat, come and drink,
Grace is deeper than you think.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the hungry (hungry),
Blessed are the thirsty (thirsty),
Aching for the right,
You will be filled, you will be filled,
Every empty place made right,
Every empty place made right.

[Outro]

[End]
3:42MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
You owed me something, and I kept the score,
Every little slight I was holding for,
But a heavy heart is a heavy load,
So I'm laying it down by the side of the road.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the merciful,
Who open up their hand,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around again.

[Verse 2]
I remember the debt that I couldn't pay,
How the King looked at me and wiped it away,
So who am I to grab you by the throat,
When He tore up every IOU I wrote?

[Chorus]
Blessed are the merciful,
Who open up their hand,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around again.

[Bridge]
Seventy times seven,
That's the arithmetic of heaven,
Keep on forgiving, keep on letting go,
That's the only way the river flows.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the merciful,
Who open up their hand,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around again.

[Outro]

[End]
4:18MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Take the mask I wear in daylight,
Take the face I show the crowd,
Make me one thing, all the way through,
Same in silence as out loud.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the pure in heart,
With nothing left to hide,
They will see God, they will see God,
Face to face, eyes open wide.

[Verse 2]
Wash the double life within me,
Clear the water, still the stream,
Till the eyes of my heart are open,
And I see You, not a dream.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the pure in heart,
With nothing left to hide,
They will see God, they will see God,
Face to face, eyes open wide.

[Bridge]
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Renew a right spirit within me,
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Till all I want is You to see.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the pure in heart,
With nothing left to hide,
They will see God, they will see God,
Face to face, eyes open wide,
Face to face, eyes open wide.

[Outro]
I will see God.

[End]
3:39MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Two brothers quarrel over the family farm,
Old words flying, both of them ready to harm,
Then somebody steps in the middle of the row,
Says, "Put it down, brothers, let the anger go."

[Chorus]
Blessed are the peacemakers (peacemakers!),
Building bridges, mending fences,
They will be called the children of God,
Children of God (children of God),
Asomdwoe, asomdwoe,
Children of God.

[Verse 2]
From the village square to the city hall,
From the market stall to the council wall,
Where the tribes divide and the parties shout,
The peacemaker's the one who won't walk out.

[Chorus]
Blessed are the peacemakers (peacemakers!),
Building bridges, mending fences,
They will be called the children of God,
Children of God (children of God),
Asomdwoe, asomdwoe,
Children of God.

[Bridge]
He is our peace, He tore the wall down,
Made the two one people, gave us common ground,
So pick up the hammer, pick up the nail,
Build the bridge where the bridges fail.

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are the peacemakers (peacemakers!),
Building bridges, mending fences,
They will be called the children of God,
Children of God (children of God),
Asomdwoe, asomdwoe,
Children of God, children of God!

[Outro]

[End]
3:36MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
They said keep quiet, just go along,
Sign the paper, sing their song,
But I couldn't call the crooked straight,
So I stood alone outside the gate.

[Chorus]
Blessed are you when it costs you,
When the right thing takes its toll,
They can take the job, they can take the name,
But the kingdom's yours, they can't touch your soul.

[Verse 2]
Lost a friend and lost a seat,
Lost the applause out on the street,
But I sleep at night with a conscience clear,
And the King of heaven is standing near.

[Chorus]
Blessed are you when it costs you,
When the right thing takes its toll,
They can take the job, they can take the name,
But the kingdom's yours, they can't touch your soul.

[Bridge]
Stephen saw the heavens open,
Daniel prayed with windows wide,
Peter stood before the council,
Would not bow and would not hide.

[Guitar Solo]

[Final Chorus]
Blessed are you when it costs you,
When the right thing takes its toll,
They can take the job, they can take the name,
But the kingdom's yours, they can't touch your soul,
No, they can't touch your soul!

[Outro]

[End]
3:24MP3 ↓
Lyrics
[Intro]

[Verse 1]
When they lie about you, twist your name,
Try to cover you in shame,
Don't you hang your head down low,
There's a word I want you to know.

[Chorus]
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
Great is your reward in heaven,
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
The prophets walked this road before you.

[Verse 2]
Jeremiah in the muddy pit,
Elijah tired and ready to quit,
Moses mocked by the ones he led,
But God was faithful, like He said.

[Chorus]
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
Great is your reward in heaven,
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
The prophets walked this road before you.

[Bridge]
Blessed are the empty, blessed those who mourn,
Blessed are the gentle, the hungry and the worn,
Blessed are the merciful, the pure and the true,
Blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are you!

[Key Change]

[Bridge repeat]
Blessed are the empty, blessed those who mourn,
Blessed are the gentle, the hungry and the worn,
Blessed are the merciful, the pure and the true,
Blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are you!

[Final Chorus]
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
Great is your reward in heaven,
Rejoice! (Rejoice!) And be glad! (Be glad!)
The prophets walked this road before you,
The prophets walked this road before you!

[Outro]
Blessed are you...
Blessed are you.

[Final organ chord]

[End]
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3
The visual album

Watch Songs of the Beatitudes

Listen to the complete sequence with original song artwork and chapter titles. The visual view follows the album player above.

Now playing: Empty Hands