Truly, You are a God Who Hides Yourself
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself 1
You create the heavens and earth as wholly other
Raised above all with arms outstretched
You only come down to the face of the waters
When all is black and chaotic and empty 5
And when you do show yourself, we hide
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
You are in a bush, in a cloud, in a fire
In a tent, in a box, in a broken law
You cover our faces with your hand 10
And when you shine through men’s faces
We cannot look, but fall down on our own
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
You speak through mad prophets and asses
You sing through murderers and kings 15
You write on rocks and walls and hearts
And when you finally send the Word to us
You send it as a bastard babbling baby
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
Recognized only by those about to die 20
Even your own parents cannot find you
And your camping cousin is not quite sure
But the doves and pigs are quite convinced
And so we ask you to depart with haste
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself 25
You walk the earth with no form or comeliness
You receive no honor in your own country
You eat and party with sinners and drunks
And when you are finally lifted into plain sight
You die like a criminal and blasphemer 30
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
But who would double-check a sealed tomb
Why question a gardener in a garden
Why ask a fellow traveler on the road
And when you break your own body for us 35
You disappear leaving only the living word
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
Seen by well over five-hundred souls
As you hide yourself away in the clouds
Blinding those who see and so believe 40
Then taking them to see you again
And forbidding them to speak a word
Truly you are a God who hides yourself
Dwelling behind smoke and curtains
Living in wine and rising in bread 45
Making of many one whole body
And just as we see you in the sanctuary
Suddenly you are only our neighbor
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
Blessed those who believe without seeing 50
Blessed those who see you in everything
Blessed those in whom I always see you
Bless those who somehow see you in me
Truly, you are a God who hides yourself
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