Pray
Jay-Z (feat. Beyoncé) Lyrics

Delivery me from my enemies oh god
God, please protect me from those who are against me.

Defend me from those that rise up against me
Please defend me from anyone who tries to harm me.

Deliver me from the work of inequities
Help me escape from any wrongdoing or harm caused by others.

The savior from the blood of me
Please save me from any consequences of my own mistakes or actions.

Look, mind state of a gangster from the 40's
I have the same mentality as the old school gangsters from the 1940s.

Meet the vicious mind of Motown's Berry Gordy
I am just as cutthroat and strategic as Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records.

Turn crack rocks into a chain of 40/40's
I've come a long way and turned my struggles into success, as shown by my chain of 40/40 clubs.

Sorry my jewelry so Gordy
I apologize for the value and extravagance of my jewelry, in reference to Berry Gordy's wealth.

Slid into the party with my new pair of Maury's
I arrived at the party in my new designer shoes (Maury's) and made an entrance.

America meet the gangsta Shawn Corey
Hello America, I am Shawn Corey, the gangsta rapper known as Jay-Z.

Hey young world wanna hear a story?
Do you want to hear a story, young world?

Close your eyes and you could pretend you're me
Imagine yourself in my shoes and living my life for a moment.

A cut from the cloth of the Kennedy's
I come from the same lineage of wealth and prestige as the Kennedy family.

Frank Sinatra having dinner with the Genovese
I am just as influential and powerful as Frank Sinatra, who was known to associate with the mobster family (Genovese).

This is the genesis of a nemesis
This is the beginning of my rivalry or enemy.

Mother America's not witnessing
America is unaware of the true struggles and hardships faced by the black community.

The Harlem renaissance birthed black businesses
The cultural movement in Harlem sparked the growth of successful black-owned businesses.

This is the tale of lost innocence's as the incense burn
This story is about losing one's innocence, while the smell of incense fills the air for ambiance.

And the turn tables turn and that AL Greens plays
As life takes its unexpected turns, the music of Al Green plays in the background.

I see my mother's Afro as momma taps her toes as she rolls her jays
I imagine my mother as she dances to the music, tapping her toes and rolling cigarettes (jays).

And my poppa just left the house, in search of the killer of my uncle Ray
My father just left home to seek revenge for my uncle Ray's murder.

And she's trying to calm my nerves, as I observe this is just one day
My mother is trying to console me as I realize that life is unpredictable and each day brings new challenges.

And what tomorrow has in store we could never be sure so all we can do is Pray
We cannot predict the future, so we can only hope and pray for the best.

Because of your strength
I rely on your strength, God.

While I walked upon the
As I continue my journey.

For god is my defense
I trust God to protect me.

Anyway there's oppression the drug profession
In any case, there is oppression in the drug profession.

Flourishes like beverages refreshing
Drug sales continue to thrive and grow like the consumption of refreshing beverages.

Sweet taste of sin everything I've seen made me everything I am
The alluring taste of sinful actions and the harsh realities of life have shaped me into who I am today.

Bad drug dealer or I victim I beg
I cannot tell if I am the one committing bad acts or the victim of them, I am unsure.

What came first moving chickens or the egg
What came first, selling drugs or the problems that come with them?

This is why I be so fresh I'm trying to beat life
I try to dress nicely and take care of myself because life is a difficult challenge and I am trying to overcome it.

Because I can't cheat death
I know that I cannot escape death, no matter how successful I may become.

The truth is the shamelessness ain't stainless is that aim this is
The truth is, being shameless does not make me pure or immune to consequences; it is just a means to an end.

You know who's game this is
You know who is involved in this particular game (drug dealing).

Move coke like Pepsi it don't matter what the brand name is
I can sell my drugs like a popular brand name product, as long as it makes me money.

I stand behind mine everything I do I'm a man behind mine
I take full responsibility for my actions and stand behind everything that I do.

I'm not a angel I'm sure but every night
I'm not perfect, but every night...

Before I lay I drop my knees to the floor and I pray
Before I sleep, I get down on my knees and pray.

The name shall endure forever
God's name will always be remembered.

The name shall continue as long as the sun will
God's name will last forever, just like the sun.

Men shall be blessed in him
Those who believe will be blessed by God.

All nations shall call him blessed
People from all nations will recognize God's blessings and goodness.

In your name I pray
I pray to God (in His name).

For a blessing
I ask for God's blessing.