Before I Judge

[Verse 1]
You came in carrying weather I can’t see
A whole long week tucked underneath your sleeve
I had my answer ready, sharp and clean
Then I saw your hands were shaking as you spoke to me

[Pre-Chorus]
I don’t have to lose my ground
To let your truth be heard out loud

[Chorus]
Hold up—let me hear you
Tell me where the hurt began
I can disagree and still reach out a hand
We don’t have to match to meet here where we stand
I’ll try to understand
Before I judge who you are

[Verse 2]
You learned your rules in a different kind of home
I learned mine from the people I’ve known
One hard sentence doesn’t tell your whole life through
There’s more beneath the thing that I can’t get used to

[Pre-Chorus]
I can ask before I accuse
There’s room for more than one point of view

[Chorus]
Hold up—let me hear you
Tell me where the hurt began
I can disagree and still reach out a hand
We don’t have to match to meet here where we stand
I’ll try to understand
Before I judge who you are

[Bridge]
When you stumble, I won’t make a stage of it
When I’m wrong, I hope you’ll say it plain
We can leave a little room between us
For a question, for a name

[Final Chorus]
Hold up—let me hear you
Tell me where the hurt began
I can disagree and still reach out a hand
We don’t have to match to meet here where we stand
No shame, no stones, no turning you away
I’ll try to understand
Before I judge who you are

[Outro]
Before I judge who you are
I’ll try to understand