Lord, every word's been said And it's all been done Useless vanities upon vanities There is nothing new under the sun Generations come, generations go Generations lost, expectation exhausted Collapsed hopes The bright eyes of the naive The dim gaze of the deceived The only options it seems The sweetest melody is lost In the wind like a chime Each life but a breath Disappearing on the sands of time Faced with the choice To pledge loyalty to a distant vision of purity At the risk of being swallowed up by obscurity The graveyard awaits my legacy, completes my dynasty A chipped and faded stone my only summary As all those around encourage distraction But comfort without never became comfort within Never saw the attraction of giving in When everything I build turns to dust Before my eyes Pipedreams smash like jawbones against the curb Their life stomped out on the cold pavement Of reality What good are these visions I once held so dear When everything around will someday disappear I won't build an empire of delusion and rust An offer's been extended from the one I trust So I drink deep the bittersweet cup of self denial I receive true life to stand firm through trial I take heart for I follow one who knows my pain I take up the cross of the one who knows my name The one who bled for all without any fear Still he strengthens those who persevere I'll carry this cross through the storm and rain Through splintered wood and shoulders raw I'll bleed If the only thing that runs through these veins is blood I'll bleed If all is forfeit, nothing's lost I gain eternity from this cross It doesn't matter how much blood they spill Every drop is soaked up into the soil of your earth And feeds the seeds that fall to the ground And die, bringing new life Bursting up through cement and dirt The rocks rise up and sing Blessed is the King who comes All glory in the highest to the risen One Hosanna, peace in heaven Hallelujahs sound forevermore Restoration, all is new Peace in heaven, peace on earth Hallelujahs sound forevermore