There is a River

by Jars of Clay

There is a river that washes you clean

There is a tree that marks the places you've been

Blood that was spilled, though not your own

For all of your tears are the wages for things you've done

And all of those nights

Spent in the darkness of your mind

Give it up, let it go

These are things you were never meant to shoulder

There is a river that washes you clean

There is a tree that marks the places you've been

Blood that was spilled although not your own

For all of those tears, love will atone

So give up the right

To control the waves that empty out your life

Above wild skies

Are the rays that break the shadows we design

Give it up, let go

These are things you were never meant to shoulder

Give it up, let go.

There is a river that washes you clean

There is a tree that marks the places you've been

Blood that was spilled, though not your own

For all of these things, love will atone

I know the world can turn in different ways

Most of the time we're simply hanging on

And under the signs of how we all behave

We might find the place that we belong

For all of those nights that you cried all alone

All of your tears, love will atone.