Standing in the Need of Prayer

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Not my brother, nor my sister, but it's me, O Lord

Author: Anonymous
Tune: [Not my brother, nor my sister]
Prayer Songs
Published in 50 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI, Recording

Piano/Organ
	Standin' in the Need of Prayer

Choral
	STANDIN' IN THE NEED OF PRAYER

PowerPoint
	STANDING IN THE NEED OF PRAYER (Gray Ps…

Representative Text

1 Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer;
Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer.

Refrain:
It's me, it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer;
It's me, it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer.

2 Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer;
Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

3 Not my father, not my mother, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer;
Not my father, not my mother, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

4 Not the stranger, not my neighbor, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer;
Not the stranger, not my neighbor, but it's me, O Lord,
Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

Source: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: an African American ecumenical hymnal #147

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Author: Anonymous

In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries. Go to person page >

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Related Texts

Lord Jesus, Think on Me

First Line:	Not my brother, nor my sister, but it's me, O Lord
Title:	Standing in the Need of Prayer
Author:	Anonymous
Meter:	Irregular
Source:	African-American spiritual
Place of Origin:	United States
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	It's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Prayer Songs

English

10 shown out of 45

Korean

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship: the Korean-English Presbyterian hymnal and service book #326

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Notes

Like 264, "Standing in the Need" is an African American spiritual, and, like many folk songs, its origin is unknown. Both text and tune became well known after their publication in The Book of American Negro Spirituals (1925), compiled by James Weldon Johnson and his brother,]. Rosamond Johnson.

Using hyperbole, or exaggerating to make a point, the text brings a very specific message: "I need prayer!" Obviously all the other persons mentioned in the text need prayer as well-yet the text stresses the individual's need for prayer. Such an under¬standing of this text permits its use in corporate worship-in which we all realize that each of us needs prayer just as much as all of us need prayer. The text emphasizes personal responsibility within a larger context of community.

Liturgical Use:
As a call to prayer, this song should be part of a time of sung and spoken and silent prayers-for forgiveness, of course, but also for healing, for gratitude, for more fervent faith, and so on.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988

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Tune

[Not my brother, nor my sister]

STANDING is a call-and-response tune; the Psalter Hymnal has marked clearly the solo lead parts and the congregational-response parts, which are to be sung in harmony. Since most African American spirituals were originally sung unaccompanied, have the choir or even the congregation hum the accompani…

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