896

Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

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Scripture References

Further Reflections on Scripture References

This chorus has become a popular sung prayer for the presence of the Holy Spirit, for the Father's love, and for the grace of Jesus Christ to direct our lives. The words "love," "power," and "grace" in the final line allude to the well-known New Testament benediction (see 2 Cor. 13:14).

 

Bert Polman, Psalter Hymnal Handbook

896

Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

Additional Prayers

A Petitionary Prayer
 
God of grace and God of glory,
listen to your children praying.
We feel alone.
Send us love.
We feel impotent.
Send us power.
We feel shame.
Send us grace.
God of grace and God of glory,
listen to your children praying, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
— Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
896

Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

Tune Information

Name
CHILDREN PRAYING
Key
D Major
Meter
9.8.9.9

Recordings

896

Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

Hymn Story/Background

Ken Medema said the following about his writing of this prayer hymn:
 
"Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying" came out of my New Jersey years. One night [in 1970], I was with a youth group. We started talking about a young man who was in the hospital and who really needed our prayers. In the middle of our prayer time, the idea for this little chorus came to me. I started humming, then singing. Soon the kids were mumbling along with me. We sang that chorus, "Lord, listen to your children praying," several times over. Then I started adding verses, and the kids quickly joined me in singing the new words. So it was a song born out of our concern and prayer for a friend.
-Reformed Worship 9, Fall 1988, p. 4
 
The complete song was recorded on Medema's album Son Shiny Day (Word, 1973) and published in an accompanying songbook. This prayer refrain has become a popular sung prayer for the presence of the Holy Spirit, for the Father's love, and for the grace of Jesus Christ to direct our lives. The words "love," "power," and "grace" in the final line allude to the well-known New Testament benediction (see 2 Cor. 13:14). This chorus is easy to sing from memory, and that should be encouraged. Be sure to keep fairly strict rhythms on the whole and half notes-some congregations may be tempted to cut short the cadences; accompanists could help by improvising with additional rhythmic accompaniment on the longer notes.
— Emily Brink

Author and Composer Information

Ken Medema (b. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1943) is a song writer, composer, recording artist, and story-teller through music. Blind from birth, Ken began playing the piano at age five and studied classical music by reading Braille. He graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School and studied music therapy at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. As a music therapist in both Indiana and New Jersey, he began writing songs for hurting teenagers, an experience that helped to launch a career of writing songs on Christian life that has taken him to venues large and small all over North America and beyond. He responds to what he hears and sees in his heart at particular events, often improvising songs on the spot, offering compassion, honesty and desire for integrity in both worship and life. In 1985 he began Brier Patch Music, which continues to publish his music and recordings, including 26 CDs. 
— Emily Brink
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