Lyrics This Is The Law Of The Plague - Diamanda Galas

This Is The Law Of The Plague

When any man hath an issue out of his flesh.
Because of that issue he is unclean.
Every bed whereon he lieth is unclean
and everything whereon he sitteth, unclean.
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall be unclean,
And he that sitteth whereon he sat shall be unclean.
And he that toucheth
the flesh of the unclean
Becomes unclean.
And he that be spat on by him unclean
Becomes unclean.
And whosoever toucheth anything under him
shall be unclean.
And he that beareth any of those things
shall be unclean.
And what saddle soever he rideth upon is unclean
And the vessel of earth that he toucheth, unclean.
And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him,
he is unclean.
Every garment, every skin whereon is the seed, unclean.
And the woman with whom this man shall lie
shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth her will be unclean.
This is the law of the plague:
to teach when it is clean and when it is unclean.
And the priest shall look upon the plague
for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot.
And the priest shall shut up he that hath the plague.
He shall carry them forth to a place unclean.
He shall separate them in their uncleaness.
This is the law of the plague:
To teach when it is clean and when it is unclean.
excerpt from Psalm 22
Many bulls compass me, Lord
Strong bulls of Baashah do beset me round.
They gape me with their mouths
as a ravening and a roaring lion.
But thou, O Lord, shall bring them down.
Thou shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction
greedy and deceitful men shall be exposed as vermin
And their days as iniquity.
excerpt from Psalms 58 and 59,
and text by Diamanda Galas
Deliver me from mine enemies, O My God
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity
and save me from bloody men.
For lo, they lie in wait for my soul
The mighty are gathered against me not for my transgressions, not for my sin, O Lord
They run and prepare themselves without my fault
Awake to help me and behold:
Swords are in their lips, for who, say they, doth hear.
But thou, O Lord, shall laugh at them
The God of my mercy shall let me see my desire
upon mine enemies
And at evening, let them make a noise like a dog.
and go around about the city
Let them walk up and down for meat
and grudge if they be not satisfied.
Break out the great teeth of the young lions,
Oh My God,
and when they laugh at the trial of the innocent
Let them be cut as in pieces!
Bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
text by Diamanda Galas
The Devil is an impotent man
He says it nice and plays himself off as the friend.
He tries to make you uncertain
so your hands shake
and then he tells you you’re insane
when you call him by his rightful name:
Impotent homophobe and coward!
So you will miss when you aim at this evil man
who cannot get it up except
in the T.V. public operating room
of another man’s misfortune!