'Twas battered and scared
And the auctioneer thought it hardly worth his while
To waste much time on the ol' violin
But he held it up with a smile.

"What am I offered good folks?" he cried
"Who will start the bidding for me?
A dollar, one dollar, two, only two
Two dollars, who will make it three?
Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three.

But no, from the back of the room
A gray haired man came forward
And gently picked up the bow

And then wiping the dust from the ol' violin
Tuning the loose strings
He played a melody as pure and sweet
As the caroling angel's sing.


The music stopped and the auctioneer
With a voice quiet and low, said
"Now what am I bid for the ol' violin?"
He held it up with the bow.

A thousand dollars, who will make it two
Two thousand, who will make it three
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going, going and gone.

The people cheered but some of them cried
"We don't understand what changed it's worth?"
Then someone replied
"The touch of the master's hand."

So many a man with life out of tune
Much like the ol' violin
But the Master comes and a change is brought
By the touch of the Master's Hand.

By the touch of the Master's Hand...