Mercy Tree

Anthony Evans sings “Mercy Tree,” a song about the cross. It begins on a hill called Calvary, where there stands an endless mercy tree, and it calls every broken, weary soul to find rest and be made whole. Stripes of blood stain its frame, shed to wash away our shame, and from the scars pure love was released.

The second verse sets the scene between two thieves, where the blameless Prince of Peace hung bruised, battered, scarred and scorned, his sacred head pierced by our thorns. His cry of it is finished is recalled, with the line that the perfect Lamb was crucified and that his sacrifice is our victory. The third verse says that hope went dark on that violent day and the whole earth quaked at love's display. Three days of silence in the ground follow. Then on the bright and glorious day heaven opened up the grave, and he is alive and risen indeed. The chorus proclaims that death has died, love has won, and Jesus Christ has overcome. The last section looks ahead to the day when we see his face and he wipes away every tear, with no more pain or suffering. The song follows the story from Friday to Sunday to eternity in order, which makes it a clear fit for Easter and for communion. A choir arrangement is easy to build on the chorus.

Healing by his stripes is Isaiah 53:5. It is finished is in John 19:30, and every tear wiped away is Revelation 21:4.