He fell to his knees and he cried out for mercy
Heart-felt confessionals to an angry mob
But vengeance was theirs as they bellowed for justice
"Death to the man who has sinned against God."
I joined in the chant feeling so high and mighty
Pointing the finger from up on my throne
'Til I looked in his tears and I caught my reflection
And I knew that I could not cast the first stone.
Let the gavel fall slowly tho' truth's been revealed
Sequester the jury for a moment to feel
And in the courts of compassion I hope we can appeal
To the better angels of our nature, to the better angels of our nature.
I walked along on my soft streets of plenty
She walked the alleys of anguish and need
While clutching my greed I was struck by a vision
But for the grace of God, that could be me.
And we gather in chambers of lofty ideals
Still debating the giving when handed the bill
But in the congress of kindness I hope that we can yield
To the better angels of our nature, to the better angels of our nature.
Angels of mercy, angels of light
Angels of darkness, angels of might
Angels with voices that whisper so clear
Who do I lean to, who do I hear?
We are building our world with a fevered emotion
While trying to keep it from coming apart
But as we reach for the dream can we still reach within us
We won't have the hope if we don't have the heart.
'Cause we've tossed in the gale of a moral decline
As we drink from the grail of society's wine
But at humanities table I hope we choose to dine
With the better angels of our nature.
With the better angels of our nature...