Make straight my ways, O Lord Cleanse my soul Produce a new heart in me, O God Make me whole The radiance of Your glory burns all that make contact For no being with sin may stand in Your holiness What hideous root laid its hold over my soul Since my conception, pride and self-servience were all I knew Wretched, condemned But the Lord shone His glory by a greater means Through the revelation of His Son Displaying mercy, fulfilling justice And ransoming a people for His holy name Yet this root of sin reaches deep Through toils and pains, it is laid bare I may want to keep it hidden But Your holy fire reaches to dig it out Is not the old man dead Don't I desire the Lord's presence above all It is for my good I'm made clean It is better not to be destroyed Than to remain and become cast out For it His will that I dwell with Him And yet my flesh pushes back Desperate for happiness, for peace Clinging to the bitter gravel thrust into my mouth Exhaustion, hurt, despair, loneliness Taking form like a cloud within my chest Like a beast with no conscience A shadow wishes to exist in my heart To deny Your goodness, but the Lord speaks Soul, be still Gaze upon the Son Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross Scorning the shame, to win a people for Himself Flames roar in each of His steps From His mouth extends a two-edged sword His eyes radiate like a star Burning through flesh, bone, mind, and soul The flames shall not harm thee Only the dross shall be consumed And My image within thee shall rise All beings shall endure His holy fire Either for refinement or total destruction Where the worm never dies But this agony shall one day cease My soul will wait Help me endure Burn away the chaff I must wait for the Lord