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| DEAR ones, I have gambled, I have rolled the bones. | |
| It’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Hell was open, waiting with its howls and moans. | |
| There you are, praise God! | |
| Heaven’s gates were opening, up steps the Lamb, | 5 |
| “Sister, aren’t you sick of sin?” “Yes,” I said, “I am.” | |
| And it’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Sinner, aren’t you going there, joining our procession— | |
| Everybody holy, making loud profession? | |
| And there you are, praise God! | 10 |
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| Dear ones, I have wallowed belly-deep in sin. | |
| It’s the truth, praise God! | |
| I’d looked into the puddle, devil shoved me in. | |
| There you are, praise God! | |
| Jesus came and saved me, gave me cleanly clothes: | 15 |
| “Sister, rise with Jesus!” and my spirit rose. | |
| And it’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Sinner, aren’t you going there? All the sky rejoices, | |
| Everything is sounding with the heavenly voices. | |
| And there you are, praise God! | 20 |
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| Dear ones, drink’s a serpent—it had me by the throat. | |
| It’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Ever see a rattlesnake swallowed by a shote? | |
| There you are, praise God! | |
| Jesus came and grabbed me: “Sister, I declare!— | 25 |
| Devil’s in your gizzard, you can spit him out in prayer.” | |
| And it’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Brother, aren’t you going there? Streets are hung with banners, | |
| Cherubim and seraphim bow and show their manners. | |
| And there you are, praise God! | 30 |
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| Dear ones, I was loose—Lord, Saturday night! | |
| It’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Along would come a black man, along would come a white. | |
| There you are, praise God! | |
| Jesus came and chased them, drove them with a whip: | 35 |
| “Sister,” says our Savior, “watch the devil skip!” | |
| And it’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Lover, aren’t you going there, risen from the lowly, | |
| Justified and sanctified and glorified and holy? | |
| And there you are, praise God! | 40 |
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| Dear ones, it’s the truth! | |
| Truth of God, praise God! | |
| Sinner, it’s the truth, it’s the truth, praise God! | |
| Sister, it’s the truth, truth of God, praise God! | |
| Brother, it’s the truth, it’s the truth, praise God! | 45 |
| Lover, it’s the truth, it’s the truth, the truth! | |
| Mourner, it’s the truth, and there you are, praise God! | |
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