[Verse 1]
I was born to be of service
Camp Lejeune just felt like home
I had honor, I found purpose
"Sir, yes, sir," that's what I know
They sent us to a place
I never heard of weeks before
When you're nineteen, it ain't hard to sleep
In the desert on God's floor
Close your eyes, stop counting sheep
You ain't in boot camp anymore
[Verse 2]
We were taught to shoot our rifles
Men and women side by side
Thought we'd be met as liberators
In a thousand-year-old fight
I got this painful ringing in my ear
From an IED last night
But no lead-lined Humvee war machine
Could save my sergeant's life
Three more soldiers, six civilians
Need these words to come out right
[Chorus]
God of mercy, God of light
Save your children from this life
Hear these words, this humble plea
For I have seen the suffering
And with this prayer, I'm hopin'
That we can be unbroken
[Verse 3]
It's eighteen months now, I’ve been stateside
With this medal on my chest
But there are things I can't remember
And there are things I won't forget
I lie awake at night
With dreams the Devil shouldn't see
I wanna scream, but I can't breathe
And Christ, I'm sweatin' through these sheets
Where's my brothers? Where's my country?
Where's my "how things used to be"?
[Chorus]
God of mercy, God of light
Save your children from this life
Hear these words, this humble plea
For I have seen the suffering
And with this prayer, I'm hopin'
That we can be unbroken
[Bridge]
My service dog's done more for me
Than the medication would
There ain't no angel that's comin' to save me
But even if they could
[Verse 4]
Today, twenty-two will die from suicide
Just like yesterday, they're gone
I live my life for each tomorrow
So their memories will live on
Once we were boys, and we were strangers
Now we're brothers and we're men
Someday, you'll ask me, "Was it worth it
To be of service in the end?"
Well, the blessing and the curses
Yeah, I'd do it all again
[Outro]
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh, yeah
