Exit Wound

I thought the only way out Was a choice I grew up with a gunshot, sang a lullaby So the candles on the curb took the place of goodbyes Every block had a mural with another face Every kid learned young how to numb that space We called it family, but it felt like war tattoos On our skin, dead friends in the floor I had blood on my shoes, not all of it mine And a rage in my chest like a landmine People talk about hope like a fairy tale I was just trying to live till the next night fell sick God, if you're real, you don't walk down here You were the exit wound From the life I knew, took the shot meant for me When they broke you through I was marked by the streets I was shamed to the tomb But your mercy tore a doorway through my dune Now the only blood that defies my name Is the blood you spilled when you took my blame Jesus, you walked in my dead end room And you turned that cross to my head I remember that night in the back of the car Hand still shaking, heart beating like war My hoodie had stains, I ain't prior to claim And my crew said, rather die, that's the game But I saw my reflection in a pawn shop glass Just a kid with a mask and a loaded pass Heard a preacher run a corner with a busted mic Sinking Jesus loved the ones that don't love life I laughed it off But it stuck like glue, could he really want a monster like you? Then a friend got dropped two days from that And the pain hit deeply You're real breaking before they do And the room got stilled and my chest got lighter I was there every single night You're not your set, you're not your crew You were the exit wound From the life I knew Took the shot meant for me When they broke you through I was marked by the streets I was shamed to the tomb But your mercy tore my door way through my doom Now the only blood that defies my name Is the blood you spilled when you took my blame Jesus, you walked away That almost took my breath I just testified to Jesus Who woke me out of debt Every gang sign, every night time run You thought in the crosshairs and call me son I thought the end of my story was a total daydream But you wrote redeem in my broken new You took my place, you took my shame in You put your heart inside my name Now pray for the blocks where I used to bleed For the kids on the corner that got what I need I'm not better than them, I'm just freeing you And I know you can do what you did in this view Put your church in the alleys, your hope in the hood Turn the hardest of hearts into something good If they ask how I made it, how I got pulled through I'll just point to the cross and the hole you knew You were the exit wound From the life I knew Took the shopman for me When they broke you through I was marked by the streets I was chained to the tomb But your mercy tore a doorway through my tomb Now the only blood that defies my name Is the blood you spilled when you took my blame Jesus went