The Three Nails

The blood that washed my sins away

This is a story of long ago, of a man who owned a little store
And I was mildly proud to have my name above the door
This is some two thousand years ago, as I recall
Located in Jerusalem, across the street from Pilate's hall

I had everything I thought I'd ever need
Folks would come from miles around, regardless of their creed
The only thing I had, I didn't think I would ever sell
Was in a corner on a shelf, three old rusty spike nails

And then one day, a big Roman soldier came through the door
He walked up to me, it seemed he shook the floor
"Can I help you, Sir?" I said with the voice I guess seemed frail
He looked at me with a sneering grin and said, "I wanna buy some big, big nails"
"Three old rusty spike is all I have, Sir"
He said, "For me that would do, for the job I have, three's enough"
"And how much do I owe you?"
He placed some money in my hand, and I was glad to make the sale
Then I wondered, and I asked him
I said, "Sir, what can you do with three nails?"

He said, "Did you ever hear of a man called Jesus, the Nazarene?"
"You mean the one who goes about doing good?"
He said, "Yes, that's the man"
He said, "Today I intend to show the world that I'm boss"
"For with this three old rusty spikes, I'm gonna nail Jesus to the cross"

I stood there almost numb, you'd never know how I felt
I said, "Please sir, don't do that!"
As down on my knees I knelt
He just turned and walked away
I got up and followed him
I said, "Please, Sir, I'd buy them back"
But he just looked at me and grinned

And across a distance, I could see the howling mob
Through the tears that filled my eyes
"Away with him! Crucify him!" I could hear their angry cries
And over all the groans and the pains of agony
I could hear the sound of a hammer
As that big Roman soldier nailed Jesus to a tree

With three rusty nails, they nailed Jesus to the tree
The sun turned to darkness on that day
'Twas the day that Jesus died, and the blood fell from his side
That blood that washed my sins away