Whenever Anyone Turns

If it were on my eyes
I would see it plain
If it were on my eyes
I would see it plain
But it lies upon my heart
And I look for it in vain

They read the old words out loud
The same veil as years ago
They read the old words out loud
The same veil as years ago
Their minds went hard
And nobody seems to know

You can show me the sun
And I'll say: It's so bright
You can show me the sun
And I'll say: It's so bright
It goes in through my eyes
And stops at the veil, out of sight

There's a spot in every eye
Where nothing's there for me
There's a spot in every eye
Where nothing's there for me
And I never notice
I don't see that I don't see

I read with something in the way
And I see with it

In Moses’ story
He would go inside
In Moses’ story
He would go inside
Here, anyone can turn to the Lord
The tent is left behind

There’s no tent to walk into
No mountain in sight
There’s no tent to walk into
No mountain in sight
I turn to the Lord where I’m standing
The veil gives way to light

Whenever anyone turns to the Lord
Whenever anyone turns to the Lord
The veil is taken away
Not earned, not pulled off
Taken away

Turning isn’t something
I can frame upon the wall
Turning isn’t something
I can frame upon the wall
I turn to the Lord again
I bring my questions, doubts and all

Whenever anyone turns to the Lord
Whenever anyone turns to the Lord
The veil is taken away
Not earned, not pulled off
Taken away

Anyone turns to the Lord
The veil is taken away
The turning is my answer

It does not say: You own it
It does not say: It’s mine
It does not say: You own it
It does not say: It’s mine

It says: Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
That’s the line

Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
I stand in it, or I don’t
Where the Spirit is, there

I looked for it in my papers
I looked for it in my hands
I looked for it in my papers
I looked for it in my hands
Those papers don’t lift the veil
I turn to the Lord where I stand

Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
I stand in it, or I don’t
Where the Spirit is, there

Freedom from the law
I know that from another letter
Freedom from the law
I know that from another letter

Here, the veil is taken away
I’m free to read and understand

Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
Freedom is a place
Not a thing I bear
I stand in it, or I don’t
Where the Spirit is, there

This Greek line has seven words
It has no verb

It doesn’t call freedom mine
And I keep coming back
To that word: Where

Moses came down from the mountain
And his face was shining bright
Moses came down from the mountain
And his face was shining bright
They feared to come near
He spoke
Then veiled his face from sight

Before the veil there was a face
And before the cover, light
Before the veil there was a face
And before the cover, light
I turn to the Lord
Like coming home
And I can face the light

The word can mean returning
To a place that you have known
The word can mean returning
To a place that you have known
I turn to the Lord
And to me, that sounds like coming home

Coming home is more than going back
Coming home is more than going back
With my face unveiled
I turn to the Lord
His Spirit is changing me

Before the veil there was a face
And before the cover, light
Before the veil there was a face
And before the cover, light
I turn to the Lord
Like coming home
And I can face the light

He was there before I could see him
I turn to the Lord
His Spirit is changing me

Jesus, you prayed for me

There was a fire in the courtyard
And the coals were burning bright
There was a fire in the courtyard
And the coals were burning bright
I warmed myself among the servants
Three times I denied you that night

You said: When you have turned
You said it before the fire
You said: When you have turned
You said it before the fire
You said when, and not if
Your word held, though I was a liar

There was a charcoal fire beside the lake
With fish and bread
There was a charcoal fire beside the lake
With fish and bread
You gave us bread and fish to eat
And I was fed

Three times you asked me by the lake
Do you love me?
Three times you asked me by the lake
Do you love me?
With every question came the call
To tend your sheep

Two charcoal fires stay with me
One in the courtyard
One beside the sea
Two charcoal fires stay with me
One in the courtyard
One beside the sea
At one I denied you
At one you asked me
Do you love me?

You said: When you have turned
You said it before the fire
You said: When you have turned
You said it before the fire
You said when, and not if
Your word held, though I was a liar

You fed me
You asked me
You gave me your sheep to care for