When I Praise You

When I Praise You
By Mark Spencer

Lord, you know me, body and soul,
You know what's in my heart.
You understand my every goal,
And what my deeds impart.

And when I praise You privately
You know I am sincere.
While everything done publicly,
Endears me to my peers.

They think I am a holy man,
When I shout out Your praise.
They can't see who I really am,
Beneath this righteous glaze.

I could write a verse about You,
With all the love I feel.
But You already know the truth,
In what my heart reveals.

For the things we do in public,
Though some seek to deny,
Are designed for the impression,
Left in the public eye.

Did the Pharisees not praise You,
Within the temple gate?
Did the rich man not praise You too?
Can we deny his fate?

They held on to an illusion,
How much they loved their God,
But the ultimate conclusion
Stripped them of their facade.

So Lord, you know what's in my heart,
And what I really feel.
While any praise my verse imparts,
May, or may not be real.

What I believe, and what I feel,
Are between You and I.
It isn't something to reveal,
Before the public eye.

And so, my friends, I now depart,
Though you may think me odd.
My praise remains within my heart,
Between myself and God.

End.