HYMN: From Ramah We Have Heard Them

I wrote this text as a sort of lyrical exercise, to see if I could set a particular Biblical text into a metered form and make it come out. The text was Jeremiah 31, and I took excerpts--vv.15-22 and vv.31-34--and fit them together into the following text.

This hymn will most likely never make it into the rotation of hymns I'd select for my congregation, but I'll admit that I'm pleased with the growth it exhibits in my writing.

Any feedback would be appreciated.


From Ramah We Have Heard Them

1. From Ramah we have heard them:
Laments and bitter grief.
Dear Rachel for her children
Weeps tears without relief.
Fair Rachel, grieving spurn.
Behold, the Lord has spoken.
Your mourning now is broken.
Your children shall return.

2. Refrain your voice from weeping.
Your comfort now is near.
The Lord your hope is keeping--
A future without fear.
The children shall come home,
Returning from oppression.
With Ephraim make confession:
"My sins You have made known."

3. Lord, I have been unruly,
And You have reined me in.
You have restored me truly--
Absolved me of my sin.
O Israel, return;
O, how long will you wander?
Set up your signs and ponder
The road that you must learn.

4. Her signs the road has taught her:
Turn back, O virgin mild.
Return, O wayward daughter,
For you shall bear the Child.
Lord, call Your children home.
Bring us to true repentance.
Commute our dread death sentence
Until that day You come.

5. "Behold, the days are nearing--"
Thus says the mighty Lord--
"When with all those now fearing
And trusting in My Word
I will a cov'nant make
With all my chosen children,
To take their hand and lead them.
Their sins I will forsake."


(c) Alan Kornacki, Jr.
76 76 67 76
Tune: AUS MEINES HERZENS GRUNDE (LSB 354)