It had been several years, and Jerusalem tugged at my heart
♪
We saved through the Fall; the next year was the plan for the start
We found a ship in the Spring and the wind from the West blew up fair
Carried us eastward to Joppa, and set us down there
After four days of walking, the city at last came to view
But the scene we were greeted with; well, we'd have run if we knew
There were soldiers and a crowd screamin' loud as they burst through the gate
By then there was nowhere to hide, so we just had to wait
My sons stood there with me watching the horror unfold
Three men carried crossbeams, their own crucifixions the goal
Then in spite of the whips, one fell from the weight of his load
Too weak to get up, on his knees in the dust of the road
Then a soldier yelled out, "Hey, you," and he was lookin' my way
"Get over here, carry this cross!" and I had to obey
They unbound the prisoner's arms and the wood came up free
I got down on me knees there beside him and they laid it on me
That instant was burned on my brain when he looked in my eyes
"Thankyou," was all that he said, and he started to rise
But deep in my soul, like a shore-breaking wave of the sea
I knew then that something from him had flowed into me
I walked close behind him for a few hudnred yards, but no more
To a place stained with blood from the hundreds of victims before
"Just drop it right here," I heard the centurion say
"Go on now, get out of here, just get out of the way."
I hadn't gone far when my feet just refused to go on
I wanted to flee, But instead I turned round and looked on
The other two screamed from the nails, loud as anyone could
But the man that I'd followed stayed silent as they drove through the wood
I wandered out loud who this strange, silent sufferer could be
When a man said, "That's Jesus, the prophet from Galilee
He was mighty in God; he was my teacher and friend
We called him Messiah, But now things have come to an end."
♪
Then my sons came beside us and soon a small crowd stood apart
His family and those who had followed this man from the start
Through their grief and their tears they told of the wonders he'd done
How envy and hatred were murdering this innocent one
I lost track of time as darkness closed over us there
The sun disappeared, though there wasn't a cloud in the air
I heard his last words, though 'til now I did not understand
"It is finished; now, Father, my Spirit I place in your hands."
♪
Only God can explain the connection that happened that day
The feast was in ruins, but still we decided to stay
Just doing whatever we could for the ones left behind
Feeding them, running their messages, easing their minds
It began Sunday morning when their women ran back in the room
Exclaiming that angels had rolled back the stone from the tomb
That Jesus was risen, that Mary had seen him alive
And Peter came too, and the man from Emmaus arrived
The excitement kept rising when suddenly Jesus appeared
But the power of his presence made everyone draw back in fear
He calmed us all down, and he showed us his hands and his side
Then he called me by name, gently he led me beside
He said, "Simon, you think that a soldier just picked you that day
But my Father has loved you and drawn you each step of the way
You carried that burden for me, though we'd never met
That bond is forever, my friend, I will never forget
Soon, I will leave you, but I will not leave you alone
My Spirit, the comforter, always will be with my own
I'll be making a place for the day when our joy knows no end
And forever, I will remember you are my friend
Both I and my Father call you forever 'my friend'."