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In Troubled Times

by John Lyzenga

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ryan j pemberton
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ryan j pemberton Few artists have the courage to take an unflinching look at our complicity in these troubled times and still leave me excited and hopeful about God’s unfinished work in our world. John Lyzenga is one of those artists. With a rich sound that calls to mind Sufjan Stevens and The Brilliance, In Troubled Times is a beautiful, timely, important album. Don’t miss it. Favorite track: Watch and Pray.
Kari
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Kari Love the strings on this! Favorite track: In Troubled Times.
Mary Lins
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Mary Lins In Troubled Times is a salve to the spirit for anyone engaging with alarming news headlines, meeting listeners at the precise and complex intersection of faith, indignation, anguish, and fragile hope. John’s thoughtfully written, beautifully executed, and lovingly produced album takes artistic risks that result in excellence, incorporating rich layers of sound that cleverly embody the earnest passion of the lyric.
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    Song Book for "In Troubled Times: Songs of Lament and Confession" contains lead sheets for all ten songs on the album.

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1.
Have you forgotten the innocent? Where is this justice you described? When your kingdom seems far away, God, where are you in troubled times? Every voice that pleads your named, Every mouth that is not fed, Every back pushed down upon, God, all these ones can you forget? Rise up. O lift your hand. O God, can you not see The hate, the violence? Won’t you bring us peace? You call the privileged to account. You stand first on the victim’s side. We must confront our compliance. God, may we see how we divide? From indifference to empathy, From adoration to lament, From sympathy to suffering, God, to action, may we be led. Rise up. O lift our heads. May we soon come to see Our hate, our violence. May we seek your peace.
2.
My soul magnifies the Lord. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in my God, my Savior. My soul magnifies the Lord. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in my God, my Savior. For you have seen my loneliness, God. From now on all people will call me blessed. For you have done great things for me, Great things for us all. My soul magnifies the Lord. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in my God, my Savior. My soul magnifies the Lord. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in my God, my Savior. You break the proud, Dissolve their thrones. You lift the lowly. You feed the poor. You break the proud, Dissolve their thrones. You lift the lowly. You feed the poor. Scatter to the edges God, All the proud, their empty hearts. Scatter to the edges God, All the proud, their empty hearts. Won’t you come Immanuel? Call upon your servants now. Won’t you come Immanuel? Call upon your servants now. My soul magnifies the Lord. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in my God, my Savior.
3.
Justice will roll down Like consuming waters Flooding all oppression To restore the poor Breaking at the dams Of a biased system Built upon the shoulders Of an enslaved race. Seek God’s righteous justice. Seek the captive’s freedom. Seek the helpless defense. Seek equality. High rises on Wall Street Will be soon dismantled Repurposed to house the Homeless and displaced. How we crush the weak Just to make a profit, Taking away healthcare, Taking away rights. Seek God’s righteous justice. Seek our neighbor’s welfare. Seek God’s holy kin-dom. Seek community. How we pursue greatness Using war and violence Honoring our country Forgetting our past. Stop this barren praise. Stop these lavish concerts. See the disconnect from Practice and belief. Seek God’s righteous justice. Seek God’s grace and mercy. Seek healing and stand in Solidarity.
4.
You shall not wrong, you shall not harm the immigrant in a new land. For your mothers and your fathers were once strangers here too. No matter gods nor religion nor language that they speak You shall welcome, you shall love them just as I so loved you. Let us see God in each culture, each language, each child. Let us gather all together in union of life. When we wrong you, when we harm you may we confess our oppression, how we’ve judged you and enslaved you and imprisoned your child. Release us from our nation’s pride. Forgive us for our violence. Liberate us from indifference. May your justice be done. Let us build your holy kingdom of diversity. Let us mirror your example Holy Trinity. Let us welcome one another in kindness, in love with thanksgiving for the blessing of each child of God.
5.
If I saw the marks, would I believe? Would I believe? Touched the bullet wounds with my own hands, would I believe? If I saw the bars, heard the cries of those locked away, If I saw your pain, would I believe? Would I believe? Do not doubt. You have seen all this sorrow, all the hatred. Place your hand at my side. Feel the bloodshed, the injustice. If I saw your face in the likeness of Jesus Christ, If I saw you hang upon a tree, would I believe? Do not doubt. You have seen all this sorrow, all the hatred. Place your hand at my side. Feel the bloodshed, the injustice. My dear friend, I have seen all your sorrow, all my hatred. Place my hand to your side. Oh, the bloodshed, the injustice, all my hatred, the oppression. Oh, the privilege, my compliance.
6.
We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. We can’t drink. There’s lead in the water. We can’t drink. There’s lead in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. Pharaoh, will you not save us? Are we not worthy? Give us our dignity. Lawmaker, can you not see us, see all our suffering, see our humanity? We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. We can’t drink. There’s oil in the water. We can’t drink. There’s oil in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. Pharaoh, you have the power. Know if you say the word our health will be restored. Lawmaker, you poisoned these waters with your desire and greed. Where’s your humility? We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink. There’s blood in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. We can’t drink. There’s lead in the water. We can’t drink. There’s lead in the water. We can’t drink this blood. We can’t drink this poisoned water. We won’t drink. No. We won’t drink. No. We won’t drink. No. There’s blood in the water.
7.
Born Again 01:25
N/A
8.
Would I climb up a tree the face of Christ to see? Would I look like a fool receive a life made new? You hung upon a tree to give yourself for me, wealthy and unashamed. You name my broken ways. Sisters and brothers, I’m sorry. Forgive me for my silence. Systems maintained by privilege, not seeing my compliance. Would I give up my wealth, risk my safety and health? Would I look like a fool, give all I have for you? You made your riches small to give yourself for all, exiled to Bethlehem, crucified by humans. Sisters and brothers, I’m sorry. Forgive me for my silence. How I have held onto my pride. How can I give to you my life? You gave for all black lives. You gave for refugees. You gave for LGBT. You set prisoners free. You welcome in the poor. You open every door. You bring down every wall. You died for everyone. Would I climb up a tree to see the bound made free?
9.
Mother God 02:26
Mother God, Creator, in labor with us. How you want to see your children grown, see us flourish. Mother God, Sustainer, bring us to your breast. How you know your children in your arms. Give us fullness. Mother God, Comforter, free us from our pains. How you can wipe every tear away. Hold us closer. Mother God, Redeemer, give us life, new birth. How you have begun a new work to bring us back home.
10.
God knew you in your mother’s womb. God knew you in your mother’s womb. Now that you’re here, do I even care, care even now that you’re in the world? Now you’re here, do I stand for you or love you like your mother would? Oh would I fight for your human rights, or seek your life every single day? Child of God, do I say you matter? Like a mother, do I cherish you with open arms? Image of God, do I welcome you in without hate, without delay? God knows you in your prison cell. God knows you in your prison cell. In lonely times, do I visit you? Do I hope that you would soon be free? God knows you living on the streets. God knows you living on the streets. All my food, do I share with you? Do I take the time to listen too? Child of God, do I say you matter? Like a mother, do I cherish you with open arms? Image of God, do I welcome you in without hate, without delay? God knows you every refugee. God knows you every refugee. Now that you’re here, do I provide help? Can I be your sanctuary? God knows you in your coming out. God knows you in your coming out. From your mother’s womb, God made you to love the one that you want to. Child of God, do I say you matter? Like a mother, do I cherish you with open arms? Image of God, do I welcome you in without hate, without delay? God knows you mother with child. God knows you mother with child. In your worries, do I stay with you, see that you get all the love you need?
11.
Watch and pray. Watch and pray. Watch and pray. Watch and pray. Won’t you stay with me? Oh, remain with me. Won’t you stay with me? Oh, remain with me. Oh, suffering God, how you know loneliness. Oh, suffering God, how you weep for us. Oh, suffering God, how you know injustice. Oh, suffering God, won’t you stay with us?

about

This collection of worship songs are a resource to any community wishing to address issues of social justice including race, privilege, sexuality, gender, and immigration in light of the biblical witness and the current political climate. Digital download comes with free PDF Song Book.

credits

released January 24, 2019

All songs written by John Lyzenga in collaboration with Yolanda Norton
"We Can't Drink This Water" written in collaboration with Carolyn Anderson and Ashley Reid.

Produced by Isaac Wardell.
Additional production and arrangements by Carolyn Anderson, Pete Hatch, and James McAlister.
Orchestral arrangements by John Lyzenga and Isaac Wardell.

Engineered by Jacob Winik at Tiny Telephone (Oakland, CA).
Osso engineered by Isaac Wardell (New York, NY).
Additional engineering by Matt Strasser (Alameda, CA).
Mixed by Russ Long.
Mastered by

Musicians:
John Lyzenga - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion
Kari Hamilton - lead vocals
Ashley Reid - lead vocals
Katharine Staples - lead vocals
Carolyn Anderson - organ, piano
Andy Deeb - bass
Pete Hatch - piano, keys, percussion
James McAlister - drums, percussion, keys
Christina Davis - viola
Ross Eustis - trumpet
John Monk - flute
Chris Schweikert - cello

Osso String Quartet:
Maria Jeffers
Maria Im
Patty Kilroy
Aundrey Mitchell

Choir:
Erica Maier D'Ambrosio
Carolyn Anderson
Melissa Epps
Kari Hamilton
John Lyzenga
Jamie McClave
Ashley Reid
Evan Stanfill
Bran Stagile-Wright

Executive produced by Teddi & Kim Hamilton, Deb & Tom Lyzenga, Velma Stephens, and Carmen & Phil Vecchio.

Special thanks to all of the Indiegogo supporters
and also Michelle Vecchio-Lyzenga, Yolanda Norton, Isaac Wardell, Mary Lins, Ashley Reid, Marissa Miller, Kari Hamilton, Katharine Staples, David Sweet, the Lyzenga family, the Vecchio family, Teddi & Kim Hamilton, Beth & Ted Streeter, Delianne & Barry Koops, Calvin Sodestrom, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, San Francisco Theological Seminary, Westminster Presbyterian Church (Trenton, NJ), Karen Hernandez-Granzen, Paul Ryan, and Laura deJong.

Album art by meriç tuna on Unsplash.

Production photography by Chris Schweikert.

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John Lyzenga California

John Lyzenga is a singer-songwriter and worship leader in San Francisco, CA.

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