The Woes

9. The Woes (Habakkuk 2:19-20)
Taken from ESV Bible; Written by Rachel Wilhelm

Words of the Lord:
Woe to him who saysTo a wooden thing, “Awake!” “Awake! Awake! Awake!”

To a silent stone,To a silent stone, “Arise!” Can this teach?
Can this teach?
Can this teach?

Behold, it is overlaid
With gold and silver
And there is no breath at all
In it
But the Lord is in His holy temple

Let all the earth
Keep silence
Before Him
Before Him
Before Him

Before Him...

Like Wayward Bride, this song is a lament of God. He is exasperated by idolatry. I love how He asks if a stone can teach knowing it's silent, and then demands silence because He is the One who speaks. There's something unearthly to me about the melody. I always thought of this one as the twin of Habakkuk's Call.