SONGS FOR THE EARTH

(PASSING THE GLOBE FROM HAND TO HAND:)

We have the whole world in our hands,

We have the rain and the forests in our hands,
We  have the wind and the honeybees in our hands,
WE HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD IN OUR HANDS!

We have the rivers and the mountains in our hands,
We have the lakes and the oceans in our hands

We have you and me in our hands,
We have the whole world in our hands.

We have trees and tigers in our hands,

We have our sisters and our brothers in our hands,

We have our children and their children in our hands,

WE HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD IN OUR HANDS!

[PSALM 148, transl by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, sung to the melody of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”:]

 Praise God, sun and moon, Hallelu-Yah.


Praise Yah, you stars of light, Hallelu-Yah.


Praise God, you high heavens, Hallelu-Yah.


All that flows in all the world, Hallelu-Yah.

Let them all praise God's Name, Hallelu-Yah.


For God spoke and they appeared, Hallelu-Yah.


With God they take their stand, Hallelu-Yah.


God's rhythm none must break, Hallelu-Yah.

Praise Yah from the Earth, Hallelu-Yah.

You sea-monsters and all deeps, Hallelu-Yah.


Fire, hail, snow, and steam, Hallelu-Yah.


Stormy wind to do God's word, Hallelu-Yah.

Mountains high and tiny hills, Hallelu-Yah.


Trees of fruit and evergreens, Hallelu-Yah.


Wild beasts and quiet flocks, Hallelu-Yah.


Creeping bugs and winged birds, Hallelu-Yah.


Men and women, young and old, Hallelu-Yah!

Leaders high; officials low, Hallelu-Yah.

Whole societies and peoples, Hallelu-Yah.

Kol ha’neshama t’hallel Yahh, Hallelu-Yah!

Go Down Moses (with new verse)

When Israel was in Egypt’s land, Let My people go;
Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let My people go;
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let My people go!

The pillar of cloud shall clear the way, Let My people go;
A fire by night, a shade by day, Let My people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let My people go!

As Israel stood by the water-side, Let My people go;
At God’s command it did divide, Let My people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let My people go!

When they had reached the other shore, Let My people go;
They sang the song of freedom o’er, Let My people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let My people go!

NOW Act so Earth is bondage free, Let ALL My peoples go;
And let all life be free to Be, Let air and water flow.
Go down, Moses, way down in every land,
Tell ALL Pharaohs: Let My creation go!

My Rainbow Race  (By Pete Seeger)

[Chorus:]

One blue sky above us

 One ocean lapping all our shore

One earth so green and round

Who could ask for more?

And because I love you

I'll give it one more try

To show my rainbow race

It's too soon to die.

Some folks want to be like an ostrich,

Bury their heads in the sand.

Some hope that plastic dreams

Can unclench all those greedy hands.

Some hope to take the easy way: Poisons, bombs. They think we need 'em.

Don't you know you can't kill all the unbelievers? There's no shortcut to freedom.

[Chorus]

Go tell, go tell all the little children.

Tell all the mothers and fathers too.

Now's our last chance to learn to share

What's been given to me and you. [Chorus]

“Circle Round for Freedom” (by Linda Hirschhorn)

Circle round for freedom,
circle round for peace.
For all of us imprisoned,
circle for release.

Circle for the planet,
circle for each soul.
For the children of our children,
keep the circle whole.

Morning Has Broken  (Words by Eleanor Farjeon)

 Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day.

The Earth Internationale

(Melody of the Internationale; words by Rabbi Arthur Waskow )

Arise, ye prisoners of pollution;

Arise, ye poisoned of the Earth!

We dance to make a revolution—

A better world’s in birth!

No more the corporate smoke shall blind us,

We can hear the trees and oceans call --

Humankind amidst the breathing life-forms—

Together we are all!

As we face the crisis of all history,

Let us rise to heal our Place.

To save our deeply wounded planet

We must awake the human race!

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