THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM
Songs of the Beatitudes — Matthew 5:3–12

Empty Hands
[Intro: fingerpicked acoustic guitar, 4 bars]

[Verse 1: soft, close vocal]
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: gentle harmony enters]
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: harmonica fills between lines]
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: guitar drops to single notes, near whisper]
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: fuller, harmonies swell]
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: solo guitar, spoken softly]
Empty hands...
Full of heaven.

[End]

Comfort Comes
[Intro: lone slide guitar, organ drone]

[Verse 1: heavy, slow, aching]
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: choir hums underneath]
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: organ swells slightly]
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: slide guitar cries, vocal rises]
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: choir sings words, warmth builds]
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: slide guitar resolves to major chord, organ fades]

[End]

The Gentle Ones
[Intro: pedal steel and fiddle, 4 bars]

[Verse 1: storytelling, relaxed]
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: harmony vocals join]
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: fiddle answers each line]
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: band drops to acoustic and steel]
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: full band, warm harmonies]
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: pedal steel fade]

[End]

Hungry
[Intro: drum break, bass groove, horn stab]

[Verse 1: urgent, gritty vocal]
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: backing singers answer]
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: Rhodes and wah guitar lead]
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: horns build, handclaps]
Bread from heaven, living water,
Every son and every daughter,
Come and eat, come and drink,
Grace is deeper than you think.

[Final Chorus: full horns, vocal ad-libs]
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: horn hit, groove fades]

[End]

Mercy Comes Around
[Intro: skank guitar, bass line, organ bubble]

[Verse 1: relaxed, laid back]
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: harmony joins]
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: dub-style drop, bass and voice]
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: full band returns]
Blessed are the merciful,
Who open up their hand,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around,
Mercy comes back around again.

[Outro: dub echo on vocal, fade]

[End]

I Will See God
[Intro: piano and soft pad swell]

[Verse 1: hushed, prayerful]
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: strings enter]
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: building slowly, strings rising]
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: soaring, full strings]
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: piano alone, whispered]
I will see God.

[End]

Children of God
[Intro: palm-wine guitar riff, talking drum call]

[Verse 1: bright, storytelling]
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: call-and-response choir]
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: horns punch between lines]
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: talking drum solo under vocal]
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: full horns, dancing energy]
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: guitar and talking drum trade, fade]

[End]

When It Costs
[Intro: muted guitar chug building, drum fill]

[Verse 1: controlled, determined]
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: full band, gang vocals]
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: drums driving]
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: half-time, building to explosion]
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: maximum energy]
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: final chord ring out]

[End]

Rejoice
[Intro: organ run, choir "Ohhh", handclaps begin]

[Verse 1: lead vocal, organ answering]
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: full choir answers]
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: building]
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: album reprise, choir and lead together]
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: up a half step, lead ad-libs over mass choir]
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: shouting church, full choir]
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: band drops out, choir a cappella]
Blessed are you...
Blessed are you.

[Final organ chord]

[End]