Nothing Fails Like Prayer Lyrics - Dan Barker

Nothing Fails Like Prayer 

by Dan Barker 

Chorus: Nothing fails like prayer. 

Nothing fails like prayer. 

Use your mind and you will find 

Nothing fails like prayer. 

The farmers pray for precipitation, 

And they say, "In God We Trust." 

Then along comes a drought and dries their crops out 

And turns their prayers into dust. 

The next time they need some assistance, 

They should take the advice of Mark Twain, 

Who said, "It's better to check the weather report 

Before you pray for rain." 

You reach the final week of the school year, 

But you haven't studied your best, 

So you stay up and cram for the final exam, 

And pray for God's help on the test. 

Then you answer the questions with assurance That the Lord will help you sail through. 

When the results are returned, what have you learned? God's no smarter than you! 

You ask a supernatural power 

For sunshine on your wedding day. 

Then along comes a thunder shower 

And washes your prayers away. 

When things go right, you praise the Almighty, 

And give thanks in Jesus's name. 

But when things go wrong, you change your song 

God never gets the blame. 

You buy a hundred lottery tickets, 

Then you ask the Holy Ghost 

To influence the gods to better your odds 

Because you deserve it the most. 

Then reality teaches you that lesson 

About hoping for heavenly grants: 

The success rate of prayer happens to fare 

No better than chance. 

How many centuries will it take us 

Before we realize 

There are no magic forces in nature, 

No watchful eyes in the skies? 

A single plow is much more effective 

Than a hundred prayers a day. 

The hands that help are better far 

Than lips that pray.