This is a hymn that always moved me powerfully as an adolescent. Later, I began to think of it as cheesy, but it is a hymn that comes back to me powerfully, over and over again, and has always done so, in the most barren and empty and dry and lonely parts of my life.
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
'Til their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I will say, for my vindication from all angles, The Vandals covered this song.
I am pretty sure it comes directly from Samuel, a book of the bible that continues to haunt me...
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
1 Samuel 3:8-11
I took a cab through the city tonight and cried a lot for a lot of reasons, though I am going on to many wonderful things. But wherever I leave behind and wherever I end up. I hope I always wake up enough to say, "Speak Lord, thy servant listens".
Of The Best Stuff, but Cracked
9 comments:
This was always tied for favorite hym with Be Not Afraid.. always a good hym when going off somewhere new...
lor
Dear Amanda,
I love that hymn too. I think I've only heard it once, but it was a large singalong, probably during a Yearly meeting talent show. I instantly recalled the melody as I read through the lyrics and felt the goosebumps of singing something significant.
May God bless and keep you on your journey.
Robin
Oh, my. I was raised Catholic, too (am also now a newly convinced, conservative/liberal Quaker, "plain modern" dresser in her honeymoon period) and this was one of my childhood favorites. I hadn't thought of it in years until this moment. Other favorites: Morning has Broken, And He Shall Raise You Up (or is that one called On Eagle's Wings?)
Found your blog through quaker-ranter; didn't feel the urge to comment untill you posted this.
I think it also partially draws on Isaiah, too, btw:
I heard the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?' I said: 'Here am I! Send me.'
Isaiah 6:8-9
-Sarah
Sarah, I am so glad to see you here! Those are actually all of my other favourite hymns, along with Be not Afraid, as Lorcan said. I gasped to see them listed.
Welcome!
Amanda
Amanda-
Don't actually know Be Not Afraid. I'm a bad ex-Catholic, I guess . . . ;-)
Thanks for the warm welcome; I hope to become a regular commentator (is that a word?) My own blog is almost entirely for my friends to keep up with me when I'm away, with very little quaker-ness (it crops up now and again). Honestly, it'd scare them away. Maybe a second blog? Or maybe I should actually write in my journal again. You know, the paper one. That no one else reads? That one . . .
At any rate, I hope to see you around, literally or otherwise (I usually live in New England, as well).
-Sarah
PS- am also a folk musician. :-)
Sarah, this is very exciting. I have run into 4 plain dressing Quakers in real life, but not a single other plain-dressing woman. (though I know several online) We seem to be twins of a sort. Maybe our love of those hymns has something to do with them being more folky than organ-y...
I's love to meet up in real life. Feel free to e-mail me at agareis (at) gmail (dot) com. (take that, spammers!)
I kept my quakerness out of my blog for a long time, and then started this one. About two weeks after I did so, my old blog self-destructed in a manner worthy of Mr. Gadget, and I switched entirely to this one. Then, I brought back the old paper journal. I think I've finally gotten to a good balance. I post here what I want to share with other people - it has become more of a communication tool than a self-expression tool. I use the paper journal to carry around with me and write down little details about parks and bus rides and funny people sunbathing, and also to write down and exorcise obsessive worries or neuroses.
Be Not Afraid is based on Josus 1:9, (Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.) and the Sermon on the Mount. I think it would make a good Quaker hymn as well:
You shall cross the barren desert,
but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety,
though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands
and all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.
Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come follow me, and I will give you rest
If you pass through raging waters in the sea,
you shall not drown.
If you walk amid the burning flames,
you shall not be harmed.
If you stand before the pow'r of hell
and death is at your side,
know that I am with you through it all.
Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come follow me, and I will give you rest.
Blessed are your poor,
for the kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn,
for one day you shall laugh.
And if wicked men insult and hate you
all because of me,
blessed, blessed are you!
Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come follow me, and I will give you rest.
PS; are you on Julie's Yahoo group, Sarah? Lots of sweet, smart plain women there, full of practical advice, etc.
I'll send an e-mail. :-)
I'm a different sort of plain than you, though! (Plain modern is the wrong word? Simple modern? There's no way I'm ever giving up pants.) I just went into it on this comment, then deleted it all; I'll pop it in the e-mail instead. Suffice to say for now that while I wear pants, I'm much stricter about my plain-ness/simplicity than most other folks I meet, and I'm still transitioning (the no-jewelry decision just came this week . . .)
Anyway, yes we do seem to be an odd pair of dopplegangers. Even down to some of our favorite Bible verses, and our apparent internet addiction as we comment back and forth . . . I'll drop you a line sometime today. This could be an interesting correspondence.
-Sarah
I finally got rid of my last ring, a little silver Claddagh I've had for years and years. The no-makeup was hardest for me. Honestly, my plain is still in transition. I feel unplain the way I am constantly fiddling with it, but I haven't found what's right yet. I continue to feel a bit silly and not-so-grown-up in my dresses. Maybe the fact that I can't feel sophisticated and all in what feels like playground attire is a good thing, but I'm not sure. I'm praying about it. I still have a pair of jeans and a pair of overalls that I wear when I'm doing physical stuff, and on those days when I just simply cannot face a dress. I may decide to just pull the mormon look with a long skirt and button-down day in and out. We'll see. I'm looking forward to your e-mail! (I've been popping in and out as I finish some laundry and unpacking...)
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