Naaman Washes

But his servants came up and reasoned with him.

“My father,” they said,

“if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary,

would you not have done it?

All the more now, since he said to you,

‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.”

So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times

at the word of the man of God.

His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Into the water I will go
and wash in Jordan's stream.
I'll plunge into the dark and cold
if it will make me clean.

And seven times I'll wash my skin
or seven seven times
if it will cleanse my heart within
and take away my crimes.

My heart and flesh cry out in thirst;
my sickness makes me weak,
'til desert sands to rivers turn,
the waters that I seek.

As you renew the wearied earth,
renew my tear-streaked skin.
Find yet in me some grace and worth
and make me whole again.

When I have plunged into the depths,
come lift me from the waves.
Give back your spirit with my breath,
my wounded soul to save.

And even as I drown, I sing,
and as I weep, I hope,
for you in Jordan's waters sink
and wait there in its cold.