Praying for peace: How long, O Lord?
A new hymn text longing for an end to the conflict between Palestine and Israel
This is the week focusing on the hope for Peace in Palestine and Israel. The Methodist Church in Britain is issuing a prayer for each day.
As part of this week I was asked to write a hymn to encapsulate some of the threads we could express in our worship. It can’t ask every question and it doesn’t dare to propose a route to peace but, in the tradition of biblical lament, it aches for a resolution.
The question ‘how long, O Lord’ repeats through the text and echoes Psalms of lament and the words of Habakkuk:
‘How long, Lord, must I cry for help?
But you do not listen!
I call out to you, “Violence!”
But you do not deliver!
Why do you force me to witness injustice?
Why do you put up with wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence confront me;
conflict is present and one must endure strife.’ (Hab 1: 2-3)
The metre is a standard 88.88.D and can be sung to a number of tunes. When I was writing, I was hearing the music for Before the throne of God above in my head. I know that flows well with the text. You can hear the tune here.
Given the nature of the text it could also be used as a read prayer with appropriate music playing underneath.
