the hammer

The Hammer

Composed and sung by Ray Boltz and Steve Millikan

I was in the crowd
The day that Jesus died
And as He hung upon that cross,
His mother cried.

I saw the crown of thorns He wore;
The stripes on His back
The water and the blood ran out
And then the sky turned black.

My mind was filled with anger
My heart filled with shame
The Man brought only healing
Well, who could bring Him pain?

Why does it seem the strong
They always victimize the weak?
And suddenly I found myself
Standing to my feet.

And I cried,
"Who nailed Him there?
This Child of peace and mercy
Who nailed Him there?
Come and face me like a man!
Who nailed Him there?"

And the crowd began to mock me.
I cried, "Oh my God, I just don't understand!"
Then I turned and saw
The hammer in my hand.

I am just a Roman soldier
An ordinary man
I love my wife and children
I do the best I can.

But how could I have killed Him?
There must be someone else;
I got to find an answer
I can't blame myself.

I nailed Him there,
This Child of peace and mercy;
I nailed Him there;
I am the guilty man
I nailed Him there.

With my sins and my transgressions
I cried, "Oh my God, now I understand!"
When I turned and saw
The hammer in my hand.

Only when I accepted the fact that I was not perfect, that I am flawed, and that I deserve much punishment . . . was I able to accept God's grace and mercy. I still don't understand it, but I know that I have it.