That Old King James

Preacher gave it to him
when he was eight
that Sunday morning he got saved
in that little church
Grandaddy toted it to bible school
I bet back then it looked brand new
not a faded word
now the cover's torn and
the leather's worn
on that Old King James
He took it with him overseas
England, France and Germany
right there in the middle of hell
said, he read it every night
he swore that it saved his life
his only hope when there
was no hope left
was in that Old King James
Passed it down to Momma
on the day he died
sat there for the longest time
just gathering the dust
but when life would take a
sharp turn every now and then
and she would just start missing him
I'd see her pick it up
now the cover's torn and
the leather's worn
on that Old King James
you'll find on every other page
yellow lines or tear drop stains
every chapter of that good book
been through cancer,
war and crazy kids
all the stupid things I did
I may never know the toll I took
on her, and that Old King james
yeah, I'm the one who's got it now
she said, read it when you're feeling
down and I said, yes ma'am
now the cover's torn
and the leather's worn
on that Old King James