This is my first and (so far) only attempt to write a tune in the Delta blues style. The Book of Jonah is one of my favourite books in the Bible, but modern readers often miss out on the power of the story because they don't realize that Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, Israel's mortal enemy. Of course Jonah didn't want to see the people there repent - he wanted God to wipe them out!
Sitting on my porch one day,
I thought I heard the Lord God say,
“Go down to Nineveh, with no delay!
Speak my words, and point them to my way”.
This was not my cup of tea -
I’d rather have my weekends free –
So I found a ship and sailed across the sea,
In search of a place where God wouldn’t bother me.
But he sent a storm and I ended up in the drink,
Inside a fish with plenty of time just to sit and think.
The fish burped me up on the shore,
I thought it best to rebel no more,
So it’s off to Nineveh, to lay down the law.
Them Ninevites will string me up for sure!
But to my surprise they listened to what I said;
Left behind their wickedness and turned to God instead.
I was none too pleased with this,
The judgement plan had gone amiss.
I wanted to see God using his mighty fist.
“Come and wipe them out, O God, I must insist!”
But he laughed at me with my face all in a pout;
He said, “Jonah I love those Ninevites,
and I want to help them out”.
You just can’t argue with the Lord,
He always gets the final word,
So I slipped off home to think on what I’d heard.
Sometimes the love of God seems quite absurd.
credits
from Folk Songs and Renovations,
released May 13, 2013
Words and Music: Tim Chesterton
Vocal and Guitar: Tim Chesterton
Additional Guitar: Alex Boudreau
Tim Chesterton is inspired by the rich heritage of traditional folk music of the British Isles and North America, and enjoys interpreting traditional songs as well as writing new songs in the traditional style.
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