Songwriters stationed all along the watchtower
Albert Bogle
November 02, 2025
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Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 (NIV)
(1) 1 The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.
2 How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.(2) 1 I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.2 Then the Lord replied:
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.4 “See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness
In the Connect Bible Study video for the opening week of our Singing Redemption theme, James Cathcart share the idea that songwriters are a bit like tree planters — who plant trees for others to perch in. He uses the analogy to express how a songwriter finds a key on which to hang the notes and the words of a song. In many ways the prophet Habakkuk was like an ancient songwriter expressing his lament that something wonderful had been lost, while searching for a way home to reclaim a future dream. His song key moves from the minor to the major.
True lament is always linked to an understanding of what could be in spite of what has been lost. And again Habakkuk fulfils that definition of lament, he cries: how long must we wait for justice to appear! Today we have modern songwriters like Bono of U2 who pick up the same theme, like a watchman on a watchtower crying aloud in stadiums across the world the lament of Psalm 40, How long! How Long must we sing this song? Yet in the verses he sings of what has been or can still be, while in the chorus he returns to the present crisis, crying and singing ‘How long must we sing this song! The answer comes back within the lament — justice will most surely come.
Last Christmas I wrote lyrics for a Christmas Lament in the light of all that was and still is happening in Palestine, longing for the angel’s song of redemption to visit our world again
Today these words are my prayer:
Angels Over Bethlehem
Wisdom speak but no one’s listening
Bombs and missiles shape the lies
The star of Bethlehem is hidden
Babes are born amid burnt-out skies
Our silent shame — remains
God cries — not in my name
I stand with the crucified
Love’s gift of grace is true
Love’s gift of grace for you
Wisdom speak to generations
If only we could seize the prize
And turn away from retribution
Remove the darkness from our eyes
Our silent name — remains
God cries not in my name
I stand with the terrified
Love’s gift of grace is true
Love’s gift of grace for you
Chorus:
Must hatred shape our hearts forever
Can guns be outlawed as insane
Can angels visit earth again
Sing peace in Bethlehem
Come dove of peace descend among us
Let truth and justice shape the prize
Then stars will shine again to guide us
And angels’ voices fill the skies
The prince of peace - has come
Let all the earth rejoice
Hope is the sacred song of life
Love’s gift of grace is true
Love’s gift of grace for you.
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