Lord of the ashes and pain,
you say build houses plant and pray, for my enemy
Lord of the fire and rain, you speak to the storm peace be still nature listens, creation obey
We await the day, you promise to bring us home Plans, future, and hope, our hearts wholly yours 70 years in Babylon, Lord we’re so dry
living in a foreign country, living an exile life
Lord of the treacherous and faithless
you dine in our homes, offering a banquet
Lord the bread, Lord the wine,
You bit us come dine and die, to freedom, for our hearts to be like yours
Criminal Tree begins with the soundscape of Golgotha 2000 years ago; the echo of nails being driven from the right hand to the left hand in the stereo field. Much of the percussion is a stomp and clap so as to invoke the emotions of a march or journey. Metaphorically a march through John Bunyan’s Vanity Fair away from slavery to sin, self, pride, desire, materialism, and everything offered therein.
I’m often reminded if I could lose myself to these things I certainly would. This is where the holding power of God meets us and overcomes our weakness. In Verse four it’s likened to a chain with God completing his work, link upon link, until the author of our faith also finishes our faith.
The last verse of the song is a prayer to both live and die held fast in Christ's righteousness. All we’ve done bears a damning account against us; may all we have done be covered in the blood of our Saviour.