I felt my heart beating faster and I never saw it coming!
Gavels from gun barrels expose me as far less than what I need to be.

The sentencing will be dealt swiftly...It’s too late to mend my treachery...

Shots ring out as my last mili-seconds unwind...
Time bloats with fresh gun-smoke
Forcing me to review what I’ve done with my life
Too late to change, too soon to die

Riddled back on the ground by the time the shots resound
Puncture wounds running red, fleeting thoughts before you’re dead - 
Life is still warm on my lips. What can I expect from all of this?
I’m trembling at the mighty feet of mercy – guilty, it’s true, but no less sorry

Too late to change, useless to weep
For years of sin weighed on scales accurately
Interrogate, assassinate, take the lead for justice’ sake - 
Change of heart, repentant faith only count in mercy’s wake...

I’ve debauched and deceived, and destroyed families... I’ve taken all, given none, and received judgment from the objective eye of a gun. I’m guilty, it’s true, but remorseful, no less. I’m sorry! What becomes of me, but death deserved, received? What of a crooked man’s desperate plea seeking The Good Judge’s mercy? He loved the loveable and the unlovely, the decadent and the holy. He made a way for the pope and he made a way for me....
Fallen from hell and into your arms, blessed mystery that you held on.
Fallen from death, landing at your feet...Amazing grace so sweet.
		


		Lyrics by Darin Keim, Music by Staple

		

Behind the Song:
"I was trying to communicate how amazing God’s system of mercy is for those who truly believe in the Christian message. Almost every other religion claims that salvation, or deliverance from evil – which ultimately leads to “heaven” or whatever state of one-ness the individual is striving toward–is achieved by doing good deeds. Do more good, you’re in. Do more bad, you’re out. But under these rules, there is no room for someone who lived 90% of their life badly and repented before living out the last 10%. Their deeds are stacked too highly against them. The man in this song is an example. Life has expired before his eyes, and now he stands in front of the Supreme Judge with nothing to offer that would ever grant him eternal life and not eternal death. God loves each person dearly. And He loved them enough to offer a sacrifice (Jesus) that would provide a way not only for the world’s up-standing citizens to receive salvation but also the hardened criminals who have lived off of hate their whole lives. All He’s asked for is a “change of heart, repentant faith,” and He’ll allow all of the wicked things they’ve done to be replaced by perfect deeds that someone (Jesus) did for them. This is true love. That God would want us in our wickedness and make a way to pardon all we’ve done if only we come to Him, and not ourselves, for hope. This is what a truly loving God would do, something that other religions don’t capture about Him." - Darin Keim (Staple)