Well it was battered and scarred
And the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while.
To waste much time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile.
"Well it sure ain't much but it's all we've got left
I guess we ought to sell it too.
Oh now who's got the bid on this old violin
Just one more and we'll be through"
And then he cried
"One give me one dollar, who'll make it two,
Only two dollars who'll make it three?
Three dollars twice and you know that's a good price
Come on whose got the bid for me
Raise up your hand and don't wait any longer
The auction's about to end
Who's got four, just one dollar more
To bid on this old violin"
Well the air was hot and the people stood around
As the sun was setting low.
From the back of the crowd a grey haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow
He wiped the dust from the old violin
And tightened up the strings
Then he played out a melody pure and sweet,
Sweeter than the angels sing.
And then the music stopped and the auctioneer
In a voice that was quiet and low.
He said
"Now what am I bid for this old violin"
And he held it up with the bow
And then he cried out
"One give me one thousand, who'll make it two
Only two thousand who'll make it three?
Three thousand twice and you know that's a good price,
Come on whose got the bid for me"
And the people cried out
"What made the change we don't understand"
And the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile
It was the touch of the master's hand
You know there's many a man
With his life out of tune
Battered and scarred with sin
And he's auctioned cheap to a thankless world
Much like that old violin
But then the master comes
And that old foolish crowd, they never understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
Just by one touch of the master's hand.
Music