410-537 Hands Are Holding Rust

Hands Are Holding Rust

Composer Rusty Edwards
Text Richard Leach
Voicing SATB and keyboard
Church Season Holy Week (Ash Wednesday)
Topics Love of God, Salvation
Scripture references Psalm 146:3-4
Length 1' 15" Price $.80 (U.S.) Released 6/96
Catalog no. 410-537 Difficulty Easy

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Comments from the Author, Richard Leach
The words of this anthem are a series of Biblical images of what passes away and what endures, inspired by the book of James warning those with riches that their gold will turn to rust, their elegant clothes to rags. Gold of course can't rust, and that vivid paradox, an image of the power of God's judgment, gave rise to this piece. It begins "Hands are holding rust, that had been precious gold. What is there to trust?" We are challenged and invited to trust God rather than our wealth or ourselves. This text is a poem in the form of four stanzas with an aba rhyme scheme, then a four line coda which rhymes each of the "b" lines.

Description A colorful short anthem evocative of African choral singing, with a questioning text by Richard Leach.

Text
Hands are holding rust,
that had been precious gold.
What is there to trust?

Hands hold ragged thread,
that had been costly clothes.
What more can be said?

Eyes behold a grave,
where even rulers end.
Who is there can save?

Yet there is a heart,
where all worth is held,
giving loss no part.

Never bought or sold,
the holy love that chose
human life to mend.
All shall be made well.

Richard Leach, 1994.
© 1994 Selah Publishing Co., Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., 15227. All rights reserved.

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