THE FIELD OUTLIVES BABYLON

Lyrics

[Verse 1] They dragged Daniel eastward and gave him a name Set the king’s wine before him, taught him Babylon’s ways Empires changed hands while his windows stayed wide He honored earthly rulers but knelt to none beside Nebuchadnezzar rose, and the Most High brought him low Belshazzar raised the holy cup but forgot what he should know The writing crossed the banquet wall, the scales declared him gone Kings disappear like morning mist The faithful carry on [Pre-Chorus] They can rename the servant They can threaten flesh and bone But Babylon cannot possess A heart that God has known [Chorus] We are aliens among the nations Living stones no throne can own Chosen for proclamation Calling scattered children home Through the fire, beneath His wings We remember and carry on Christ is risen, firstfruits rising The field outlives Babylon [Verse 2] From Rome that Peter called Babylon A letter crossed the sea To chosen exiles learning what A holy people means With Mark his son beside him And Silvanus bearing grace He wrote: Do not become the power That drives the flock away Do not pasture only yourselves Or climb above the field The wounded belong to the Shepherd By whose wounds we have been healed [Pre-Chorus] The flock is not the shepherd’s And the gift is never owned The cornerstone rejected Is now the builder’s stone [Chorus] We are aliens among the nations Living stones no throne can own Chosen for proclamation Calling scattered children home Through the fire, beneath His wings We remember and carry on Christ is risen, firstfruits rising The field outlives Babylon [Verse 3] Every heart becomes a vessel Every vessel pours a cup Babylon fills hers with plunder Then commands the world to drink it up But mercy bears another wine The Blood no gold could buy The King absorbs the debt Himself And does not let the debtor die So do not hug your anger Do not feed what made you bleed The sin that entered through the wound Must not become your seed [Refrain] I remember I was pardoned I remember I was found I remember who has carried me When no one else was around The opposite of faithfulness Is the heart that will not hear But the wanderer who knows His voice Can always reappear [Verse 4] Mary walked beside Him From her prison she was freed Joanna left the halls of Herod To provide the mission’s need Susanna and the unnamed Gave the journey what they had No ladder built above the rest No gift could make them grand Some preached before the multitudes Some opened up the door Some carried news of emptiness Where death had stood before [Chorus] We are aliens among the nations Not their enemies, but sent A royal priesthood born from mercy To reveal what mercy meant Through the fire, beneath His wings We remember and carry on Christ is risen, firstfruits rising The field outlives Babylon [Bridge] I AM the God of Abraham Merciful and true I AM the Shepherd searching Through the wilderness for you I AM the Bread, the Light, the Gate The Resurrection and the Vine Before the throne could call you servant I had called you Mine They are Mine— Not merchandise for kingdoms They are Mine— Not ladders you may climb They are Mine— The weak, the lost, the injured I will gather them in time [Breakdown] Your gift does not threaten mine Your growth does not diminish me Your dignity is not measured against mine We belong to the same field One plants One waters Hidden hands provide But only God can raise the seed And call the dead outside [Final Chorus] We are aliens among the nations Living stones no grave can own Chosen for proclamation Calling every exile home Let the golden cities tremble Let their towers meet the dawn Christ is risen, death is numbered The field outlives Babylon [Outro] The grass will wither The flower will fall The cup will return The King will call The Shepherd remembers The scattered are drawn The firstfruits have risen The harvest comes on