AMOS
THE DAY IS DARK NOT LIGHT

AMOS
THE DAY IS DARK NOT LIGHT

[Verse]

South king Uzziah reigned Jeroboam ruled north
Amos left Tekoa sheep dust clung to his clothes
two years stood before quake lion roared from Zion
north grew rich from new trade poor sank low under grain
Samaria wore gold Bethel sang through the night
calves gleamed under torch light hearts stayed shut to the poor
just men sold for silver the poor got sold for shoes
they ground poor into dust then blocked meek from the road
men and sons used one girl shame stained the Lord’s own name
they stretched out on pledged clothes beside altars they built
wine bought through fines filled cups priests drank close to false gods
cows of Bashan crushed poor rich wives cried bring more wine
ivory beds held ease bowls ran deep with red wine
they sang loud over strings none grieved Joseph’s deep wound
new moon blocked their quick trade Sabbath slowed down their gain
they shrank grain with false scales mixed chaff deep in the wheat
they bought poor with one shoe swept the weak from the street
courts turned truth into gall right lay crushed in the square
they hated one who spoke truth got fined at the gate
priests piled songs over sin God said stop all that noise
let justice roll like streams right like flood with no end
Amos saw plumb line fall walls stood bent by the lie
basket held summer fruit end stood ripe at the door
temple songs turned to wails dead lay thick through the land
Day comes dark not with light man flees lion meets bear
he gets home leans on wall snake bites hard through his hand
sun drops hard at high noon feast days turn into grief
land will quake like the Nile all who dwell there will mourn
north goes out into chains halls go mute under dust
seek the Lord and then live hate wrong love what is right
God may shield the remnant when the Day burns the proud
Gaza wakes short of bread clean wells run brown with dread
Sudan sees famine spread young kids fade without bread
South Sudan counts dry bowls war blocks aid on the roads
Ukraine counts dead in May blasts tore homes night and day
two point six million packs UK queues stretch out back
rich towers scrape the sky cold rooms watch heaters die
markets toast record gain mums split bread through the pain
bombs turn schools into ash war chiefs sell peace for cash
traders sell arms by tons screens sell grief for quick funds
church songs swell over drums poor wait cold for the crumbs
we dress greed up as growth God strips gloss from the boast
black scales sit in each till bread gets weighed by the bill
red horse stalks every front pale horse waits by each ward
old kings sleep under dust ours will join them unless
Christ splits sky first in flame then no age gets more years
flags turn to rags in dust roots split banks into tombs
time may make us one crypt or the last trumpet sounds
nations may not repent seals still break at God’s time
white rides out with a bow false peace crowns conquest king
red strips peace from the earth swords drink blood from the streets
black lifts scales over grain oil and wine stay safe
pale rides close with the grave Hades walks at his heel
earth shakes hard under wrath stars fall down like dead figs
sun turns black moon turns blood kings hide deep in the rocks
trumpets burn through the air rivers turn bitter red
smoke climbs up from the pit men seek death cannot find
bowls pour plague on the beast throne gets dark under pain
great quake splits all the towns proud hills fall into dust
Babylon drinks wrath cup rich merchants mourn lost trade
cargo lists gold and pearls bodies souls bought and sold
angels reap all the earth wine press runs red with wrath
beast falls false prophet falls fire receives both alive
books lie wide at the throne sea gives back all its dead
Death Hades yield the dead each name stands before Christ
those not found in the Book meet the second death there
then old sky leaves old earth holy city comes down
river runs from the throne tree leaves heal every land
Christ raised David’s lost tent nations came through His Name
Jesus bore poor men’s debt rich men’s sin on the wood
blood ran down for our fraud stone sealed breath in the dark
third dawn raised flesh to light Christ walked out from the grave
seek the Lord now and live let just streams flood your street
turn from scales blood and pride trust in Christ’s blood alone
Day of the Lord draws near dark for those outside Christ
Christ is refuge and Judge Lamb knows each poor by name
no child waits for one loaf no scales cheat at the gate
justice rolls from the throne earth sings under the Lamb
Amos ends not in dust David’s tent stands in Christ