How many times I’ve sat in pews
and seen this scene play out:
someone opens up their heart
and decides to share a doubt...

But swiftly they are pushed aside,
assumed to lack in faith;
their honesty is remedied
by the zeal of holy shame.

But if we stifle every doubt,
and banish every question,
and push the problems out,
we have robbed ourselves - a vital truth is missed -
that God himself makes room for this.
And therein lies the twist:
a tyrant wouldn’t stand for it!

A tyrant doesn’t welcome serfs
to question or complain.
He doesn’t let them criticise
his decisions or his reign.

Do we inflict our own taboo -
a sense that it is sin?
When others question God
are we misrepresenting him?

For if we stifle every doubt,
and banish every question,
and push the problems out,
we have robbed ourselves - a vital truth is missed -
That God himself makes room for this.
And therein lies the twist:
a tyrant wouldn’t stand for it!

The fact that short-sighted,
imperfect, foolish beings
can complain to an all-seeing
God is confounding!

He is not a tyrant king;
he listens and he cares.
His goodness is revealed
in the very fact we can dissent.

The Psalmist King he knew this well,
the prophets knew it too;
how many pounded on their chest
and lamented loud to you!

So, if we stifle every doubt,
and banish every question,
and push the problems out,
we have robbed ourselves - a vital truth is missed -
that God himself makes room for this.

And therein lies the twist
(Don’t you miss it, now)
Therein lies the twist:
that a tyrant wouldn't stand for it!