For Rosa Parks, Sing Praises

Recommended Tune: Munich 76 76D
Adapted by: Felix Mendelssohn (1847)
Nuevermehrtes Meiningishches Gesanbuch (1693)

For Rosa Parks, sing praises.
She would not take defeat.
She disobeyed the driver,
and would not leave her seat.
She grieved that her own people
were treated with disgrace,
and vowed with them to struggle
to gain their rightful place.

With patience and persistence,
not using violent means,
they worked to gain true justice
so they could live their dreams.
Their church friends joined the effort:
and rides for them arranged.
The buses soon were empty.
The cruel law was changed!

Have we kept faith with freedom,
or has its flame grown dim?
Too often we prize privilege
and disregard our sin.
God, help us to continue
this woman's legacy
that we fulfill your purpose
for all humanity.

Edith Sinclair Downing's photo, biography, contact information and links to additional songs and choral music are available on the Discipleship Ministries website.

Copyright © 2007 Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc. Permission to copy this text for use in a church bulletin, etc., must be obtained from Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc. unless the church has a license from CCLI, OneLicense.net, or LicenSing.