Song
Inspired by Isaiah’s “stump of Jesse”, this song names the devastation of unjust power while praying for the hidden root of hope to send up fresh shoots of justice as we welcome God’s reign.
Our rulers act without conscience,
their hollow slogans deceive;
their lies are endless, abusive,
their crowns lie shattered in shame.
For the forest of our empires
lies silently on the ground,
yet a hidden root is breathing;
holy hope prepares to grow.
From the stumps of devastation,
shoots of justice start to rise;
let love take root and flourish
as we welcome in your reign.
When your promises feel threatened,
and the axe swings at our hope,
we cry out, bewildered, frightened,
trapped in systems we can’t change;
for the landscape of our failures
seems to silence every dream,
yet beneath these broken branches
quiet seeds of trust remain.
From the stumps of devastation,
shoots of justice start to rise;
let love take root and flourish
as we welcome in your reign.
Teach us how to notice seedlings,
signs of justice breaking through;
give us courage to tell others
that the reign of God is near.
For the shoots of stubborn justice
push through concrete, stone and pride;
let our lives proclaim their rising,
to prepare the way of God.
From the stumps of devastation,
shoots of justice start to rise;
let love take root and flourish
as we welcome in your reign.
© Gary Hopkins 2025