Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

Click here to donate to Hymnary.org I have already donated. Please don't show this to me again
290

Hear Us, O Lord, As We Voice Our Laments

Scripture References

Further Reflections on Scripture References

Many Scripture references point us to the concern for justice as a strong element in the kingdom of God. Similarly, the call to work for justice and to overcome injustice is a common cry.  For many of the following songs, see such passages as Deuteronomy 27:6, Psalm 9:9, 10:18,  64:1-6, 72:1-4, 119:134, 137:1-9, Proverbs 21:3, Isaiah 1:17,  Micah 6:6-8, Amos 5:15, Acts 10:34-38,  Colossians 4:1 and James 1:27.

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Any song or testimony about the cries that comes from our nations and cities must be met with confessional statements about the mission of the church as listed here.

 

Our World Belongs to God, paragraphs 41-43 are explicit and pointed about the mission of the church: “In a world estranged from God, where happiness and peace are offered in many names and millions face confusing choices, we witness—with respect for followers of other ways—to the only one in whose name salvation is found: Jesus Christ.”

 

Later, Our World Belongs to God, paragraphs 52-54 point to the task of the church in seeking public justice and functioning as a peacemaker: “We call on our governments to work for peace and to restore just relationships. We deplore the spread of weapons in our world and on our streets with the risks they bring and the horrors they threaten…”

 

The Belhar Confession, section 3 calls the church to be a peacemaker, and section 4 calls the church “to bring about justice and true peace.”

 

Our Song of Hope, stanza 10 calls the church to seek “the welfare of the people” and to work “against inhuman oppression of humanity.”

290

Hear Us, O Lord, As We Voice Our Laments

Introductory/Framing Text

As in many prayers of the psalms, the psalmist's enemies' chief weapon is an evil and vicious tongue. Curses, lies, threats, and plots in those days could dethrone kings more effectively than brandished spears and drawn swords. And only God could protect against the tongue's deadly arrows. So the psalmist turns to God for safety, identifying the enemies' tongues as their weapons–like arrows shot from ambush–and marking their plots and intrigue as their mode of operation. Confident that God will shoot the conspirators with his own arrows and turn their tongues against them, the psalmist proclaims that the saints (of all times) will praise and rejoice in the LORD "for his protecting care."
— Bert Polman

Additional Prayers

Victorious God,
when we are ambushed by evil, when we feel overwhelmed by our enemies,
come and break into the darkest places of our lives
with the dazzling light of your hope and the unshakable promise of your love.
Inspire us with the power of your Spirit so we will follow wherever you may lead. Amen.
— Psalms for All Seasons (http://www.psalmsforallseasons.org)
290

Hear Us, O Lord, As We Voice Our Laments

Tune Information

Name
LANGRAN
Key
F Major
Meter
10.10.10.10

Recordings

290

Hear Us, O Lord, As We Voice Our Laments

Author Information

David Landegent is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church of America and served on the Editorial Committee for Lift Up Your Hearts.
— Emily Brink

Composer Information

James Langran (b. St. Pancras, London, England, November 10, 1835; d. Tottenham, London, England, June 8, 1909) studied organ as a youth but did not receive his Bachelor of Music degree from Oxford until he was forty-nine years old. He had several organist positions–the longest was at St. Paul's Church, Tottenham, England, from 1870 to 1909. He also taught music at St. Katherine's Training College for Schoolmistresses (1878-1909). Music editor of the　New Mitre Hymnal　(1875), Langran composed around fifty hymn tunes and contributed several of them to early editions of　Hymns Ancient and Modern.
— Bert Polman
You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.