Songs from Suffering - GBC Bulletin Column #26

We always do well to remember those faithful believers who have gone before us. When we look at their lives, we see that they often suffered. I don't mean like that of some Western Christians who, whilst enjoying greater freedom than anywhere else in the world, cry “persecution!” and claim to “suffer” when something doesn't go their way. I mean suffering like that our brothers and sisters in the rest of the world endure: abject poverty, constant abuse, state-sponsored persecution, imprisonment, torture, and execution - suffering that not only discourages the soul but destroys the body. Suffering is not a new thing to Christians.

Singing is not new either. It is a common form of worship that runs throughout the pages of Scripture. Sometimes - in fact, rather often – singing is in response to suffering. Read the Psalms, perhaps the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and even the prophecies, many of which make reference to singing or were themselves sung, and you will see that suffering and song often went together. In the New Testament, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison and “about midnight…were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:35). Throughout church history, when God’s people have endured hardship, they have lifted their voice in prayerful praise to God, who hears and helps them. 

With these things in mind, I share the following song. In the 1520s, a group of seven Anabaptists (baptistic reformers who were active in some places well before Martin Luther was even born) found themselves imprisoned and awaiting probable death, in Gmund, Austria. It is said that each one of the seven wrote their own verse, and so there are seven verses in the song.

I cry to you from deepest need

O God, hear my call

Send your Holy Spirit to us

To comfort our deepest despair

As you have done to now, O Christ

We rely on your command

but now they want to kill us.

The flesh is weak, as you know

It fears the smallest pain

So fill us with your Spirit

We pray from our hearts

So that we may remain until the end

And go bravely into suffering

And not fear the pain.

The spirit is surely willing

to undergo suffering

Hear us, O Lord,

Through Jesus Christ your beloved Son!

We pray also for our enemies

Who know not what they do

and think not of your wrath.

We ask you, Father and Lord

As your loving children

Kindle the light through Jesus Christ

Even more in your little flock

That would be our hearts’ desire

That for which we hunger and thirst

And would bring us greatest joy.

You have received us in grace

And made us your servants

This we have all done willingly

And fulfilled with your help

Keep us pure in your word

We want to be obedient to you

Give us aid and comfort.

You, Lord God, are our protection

We lift ourselves up to you

So it is but a small pain

If our lives be taken from us

You have prepared for us in eternity

So if here we suffer insult and blows

It will not be for nothing.

Body, soul, life, and limbs

We have received from you

These we offer up to you

To praise and glorify your name

It is nothing but dust and ashes

We commend to you our spirit, O God,

Take it into your hands.  Amen.

This was printed in the worship bulletin of Grace Baptist Church (Wood Green) on 20/10/2013. The song was read congregationally in the service.