If It Be Your Will

Last month, a friend posted a clip on facebook from the Leonard Cohen documentary "I'm Your Man".  Antony is singing this song, "If It Be Your Will".  I'd never heard it before, but I've heard it so many times since.  I don't like it as much when Leonard Cohen sings it himself, but this version that Antony sings causes something inside me to look up as if someone has called it by name.  Like roll call in the classroom of a favorite teacher, my soul responds, "Here."

If it be your will 
That I speak no more 
And my voice be still 
As it was before 
I will speak no more 
I shall abide until 
I am spoken for 
If it be your will 

If it be your will 
That a voice be true 
From this broken hill 
I will sing to you 
From this broken hill 
All your praises they shall ring 
If it be your will 
To let me sing 
From this broken hill 
All your praises they shall ring 
If it be your will 
To let me sing 

If it be your will 
If there is a choice 
Let the rivers fill 
Let the hills rejoice 
Let your mercy spill 
On all these burning hearts in hell 
If it be your will 
To make us well 

And draw us near 
And bind us tight 
All your children here 
In their rags of light 
In our rags of light 
All dressed to kill 
And end this night 
If it be your will 

If it be your will.