"Oh Jerusalem" lyrics - LAURYN HILL

Oh Jerusalem yeah, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem...

Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
'Cause everybody you know is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...Behind education and philosophy
But it's a hopeless explanation to describe the situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
By reason of the god inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
'Cause I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God through my facade only material

Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou mayest be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection

Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, a generations so aloof
Only followin' the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thine heart
And lean not to thine own understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths
Be not wise in thine on eyes,
Or you can't follow Him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, when we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be all right
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Will reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me

Oh Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness
That thou mayest be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem providing you no protection.

Abide in Me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...Fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the Vine, ye are the branches,
He that live in Me and I in him,
The same bring forth much fruit
For without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen Me
Do whatsoever, you asking My Name He may give to you
But in vain they call My Name
Teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know knoweth the heart,
What man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not 'cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...For why would you die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why

I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth (sp?)
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and His word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive

Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection

Oh Jerusalem... [Fade]