[BENNY]
I asked Him for a windfall
To lift me from this hole
I asked Him for a woman
To rock me to my soul
"Let us make love in the sand
Let that good tequila flow!"
God answered my prayers
He said, "No."

I said, "Please remove our neighbors
Can't you see they're Mexican?
They don't even share our language
Or the color of our skin
They just snuck into our country
O Lord, won't You make them go?"
God answered my prayers
He said, "No."

There isn't any time of day
That you don't have His ear
But He may not give you the answer
That you wanna hear
He holds us in His perfect love
He's there for everyone
So don't you blame Him for your sorrows
Better look at what you've done
I said, "Stop her, Lord!"
My wife was walkin' out the door
I said, "Spare him, Lord!"
My child flew off to war
And I know that He was listenin'
Cause I felt a chill wind blow...
God answered my prayers
He said, "No."

(spoken)
His third deployment. My son started havin' nightmares, cryin' out in his sleep, scarin' the hell out of his bunk mates. Uncle Sam gave him an honorable discharge. Got his old room ready; wrote "welcome home!" in shoe polish on my front window. Night before his transfer he...took his M-9. Turned it on hisself

(sung)
You never have to be alone
He's always by your side
But you know you better

[BENNY & ENSEMBLE]
Kneel down before Him
Or you'll drown in your own pride!

[BENNY]
You always got to run the show
You think you're in control
And you're
[BENNY & ENSEMBLE]
Hell-bent for glory
At the cost of your own soul!

[BENNY]
I said, "Help me, Lord!
Won't You show me what to do?
Don't forsake me, Lord
The way I've forsaken You!
I'm tired and I'm broken
And I'm scared of lettin' go..."

(Feverish and spent, BENNY hears the phantom voices of other CONTESTANTS, past and present.)

[BENNY]
O Lord, I kneel before You here
At the edge of this abyss
I beg You to release me from
My foolish righteousness
And my poison prejudice
And this...awful emptiness

God answered my prayers...
He said, "Yes."