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Singing a Prayer

By: Alan Harvey

Posted: November 5, 2018

Category: Daily Devotional

“Be with us, Lord,
Thy blessings bring
For time to rejoice and sing
For food and friends
We now give thanks
To Christ our Lord and King.”

Read Mark 14:22

While at Cedarkirk for a Presbytery event, I noticed the words of the table grace above posted on a wall. I then noted that the prayer is to be sung to the tune Amazing Grace.

I do not know the author of the words. It was St. Augustine who said, “He who sings prays twice.” Certainly, as we sing the words to the familiar tune Amazing Grace, we do offer a fitting table grace. Of course, none of us can sing those new words without being reminded of the words John Newton wrote and that have been sung by faithful Christians for years. So as we sing the new words to the tune of the beloved hymn, we do pray twice … offering the table grace and extolling God’s care of us in this life and into the life-to-come.

Prayer

O God, whether we speak the words or sing them, You hear our prayers. As we sing them, we truly give You praise and thanks … making a joyful noise to You. O Lord, be glorified in our music and in our prayers. Amen.