1. THE GRANDIOSE SLAUGHTER OF LEVIATHAN

Who is this who darkens counsel
With words of ignorance?
Gird up your loins now, like a man
I will question you, and you tell me the answers!

Where were you when I founded the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding
Who determined its size? Surely you know?
Who stretched out the measuring line for it?
Into what were its pedestals sunk
And who laid its cornerstone?

While the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Who shut within doors the sea
When it burst forth from the womb
When I made the clouds its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling bands?

When I set limits for it
And fastened the bar of its door
And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther
And here shall your proud waves stop?

The earth is changed as clay by the seal
And dyed like a garment
But from the wicked their light is withheld
And the arm of pride is shattered

Can you lead Leviathan about with a hook
Or tie down his tongue with a rope?

Can you put a ring into his nose
Or pierce through his cheek with a gaff?
Will he then plead with you, time after time
Or address you with tender words?

Will he make a covenant with you
That you may have him as a slave forever?

Can you play with him, as with a bird?
Can you tie him up for your little girls?

Will the traders bargain for him?
Will the merchants
Divide him up?

Can you fill his hide with barbs
Or his head with fish spears?
Once you but lay a hand upon him
No need to recall any other conflict!

Have the gates of death been shown to you
Or have you seen the gates of darkness?

Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know it all

What is the way to the dwelling of light
And darkness—where is its place
That you you may take it to its territory
And know the paths to its home?


2. MYSTERIOUS COUNCIL OF UNKNOWN DIVINITIES

God takes a stand in the divine council
Gives judgment in the midst of the gods

"How long will you judge unjustly
And favor the cause of the wicked?

Defend the lowly and fatherless
Render justice to the afflicted and needy

Rescue the lowly and poor
Deliver them from the hand of the wicked"

The gods neither know nor understand
Wandering about in darkness
And all the world's foundations shake

I declare: "Gods though you be
Offspring of the Most High all of you

Yet like any mortal you shall die
Like any prince you shall fall"

Arise, O God, judge the earth
For yours are all the nations


3. HIS PRESENCE COLLAPSED THE AGE OLD ORBITS

O Lord, I have heard your renown
And am in awe, O Lord, of your work
In the course of years revive it
In the course of years make yourself known
In your wrath remember compassion!
God came from Teman
The Holy One from Mount Paran
His glory covered the heavens
And his praise filled the earth
His splendor spread like the light
He raised his horns high
He rejoiced on the day of his strength
Before him went pestilence
And plague followed in his steps

He stood and shook the earth
He looked and made the nations tremble
Ancient mountains were shattered
The age-old hills bowed low
Age-old orbits collapsed
The tents of Cushan trembled
The pavilions of the land of Midian
Was your anger against the rivers, O Lord?
Your wrath against the rivers
Your rage against the sea
That you mounted your steeds
Your victorious chariot?

You readied your bow
You filled your bowstring with arrows
You split the earth with rivers
At the sight of you the mountains writhed

The clouds poured down water
The deep roared loudly
The sun forgot to rise
The moon left its lofty station
At the light of your flying arrows
At the gleam of your flashing spear
In wrath you marched on the earth
In fury you trampled the nations
You came forth to save your people
To save your anointed one
You crushed the back of the wicked
You laid him bare, bottom to neck
You pierced his head with your shafts
His princes you scattered with your stormwind
As food for the poor in unknown places
You trampled the sea with your horses
Amid the churning of the deep waters

I hear, and my body trembles
At the sound, my lips quiver
Decay invades my bones
My legs tremble beneath me
I await the day of distress
That will come upon the people who attack us
For though the fig tree does not blossom
And no fruit appears on the vine
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the terraces produce no nourishment
Though the flocks disappear from the fold
And there is no herd in the stalls

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord
And exult in my saving God

God, my Lord, is my strength!


4. THE TREMBLING OF SHADES

You believe that God is one. You do well.
Even the demons believe that and tremble.


5. ELEMENTAL POWERS SHAMED IN PUBLIC SPECTACLE

And even when you were dead in transgressions
And the uncircumcision of your flesh
He brought you to life along with him
Having forgiven us all our transgressions

Obliterating the bond against us
With its legal claims, which was opposed to us
He also removed it from our midst
Nailing it to the cross!

Despoiling the principalities and the powers
He made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it!

Let no one, then, pass judgment on you
In matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath
These are shadows of things to come; the reality belongs to Christ

Let no one disqualify you
Delighting in self-abasement
And worship of angels, taking his stand on visions
Inflated without reason by his fleshly mind
And not holding closely to the head, from whom the whole body

Supported and held together by its ligaments and bonds
Achieves the growth that comes from God
Inflated without reason by his fleshly mind
Why do you submit to regulations as if you were still living in the world?


6. A WAR AGAINST DARK DOMINIONS

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil

For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
But with the powers, with the principalities
With the world rulers of this present darkness
With the evil spirits in the heavens

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day
And, having done everything, to hold your ground
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate
And your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield
To quench all flaming arrows of the evil one!

And take the helmet of salvation
And the sword of the Spirit
Which is the word of God!


7. A CHAMBER ABOVE COSMIC WATERS

Lord, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and splendor
Robed in light as with a cloak
You spread out the heavens like a tent

Setting the beams of your chambers upon the waters
You make the clouds your chariot
Traveling on the wings of the wind
You make the winds your messengers
Flaming fire, your ministers

You fixed the earth on its foundation
So it can never be shaken
The deeps covered it like a garment
Above the mountains stood the waters
At your rebuke they took flight
At the sound of your thunder they fled
They rushed up the mountains, down the valleys
To the place you had fixed for them
You set a limit they cannot pass
Never again will they cover the earth
You made springs flow in wadies
That wind among the mountains
They give drink to every beast of the field
Here wild asses quench their thirst
Beside them the birds of heaven nest
Among the branches they sing

You water the mountains from your chambers
From the fruit of your labor the earth abounds
You make the grass grow for the cattle
And plants for people's work
To bring forth food from the earth
Wine to gladden their hearts
Oil to make their faces shine
And bread to sustain the human heart


8. UNKNOWABLE FORMLESS VOID

(Instrumental)