On a Friday Morning

20 Mar 2023 | Grace of God | 0 comments

It was on a Friday morning
that they took me from the cell
and I saw they had a carpenter
to crucify as well.
You can blame it on to Pilate
You can blame it on the Jews
You can blame it on the Devil
But it’s God that I accuse
          ‘It’s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me’
           I said to the carpenter, a-hanging on the tree
Now Barabbas was a killer
And they let Barabbas go
But you are being crucified
For nothing here below
And God is up in Heaven
but He doesn’t do a thing
With a million angels watching
and they never move a wing

          ‘It’s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me’
           I said to the carpenter, a-hanging on the tree
To hell with Jehovah
To the carpenter I said
I wish that a carpenter
had made the world instead
Goodbye and good luck to you
our ways they will divide
Remember me in heaven
The man you hung beside
          ‘It’s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me’
           I said to the carpenter, a-hanging on the tree
Sydney Carter, Friday Morning (1959)

Notes from the Compiler

in 'Songs of Faith and Doubt' sung by Donald Swan in 1964. Andrew Moss writes: 'I read this when I was in my teens, 40 years ago, and I still remember it. Absolutely clear, it enabled me to face and make my choice, and start on the path that has blessed me ever since.... I can still remember the poem, David Watson quoted in his book, 'My God is Real', that answered precisely one of the most difficult questions in all of life. God was the 'carpenter', so he seems to agree with the singer of the song. God is almighty and He has allowed this world with its wrong and pain. He has entered our world. He has taken responsibility. He was crucified!'

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