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O Lord, my God

The phrase, "O Lord my God, is there no help for the widow's son," is significant to Freemasons worldwide. But the opening expression, "O Lord my God", finds its origin in the Bible, and is not in itself exclusively masonic in use.

Akathist Hymn to Almighty God In Time of Trouble (circa 600)
Kontakion V
Through the divinely flowing blood of Thy beloved Son Jesus
Christ have we been reconciled to Thee, O heavenly Father; yet,
lo! I have returned again to sin, like a dog to its vomit, for which
cause Thou art justly chastising me with this grievous
misfortune. But hearken unto me, O Lord my God, on this day
of my grief; show forth Thy mercy and salvation upon me, and
grant me ever to cry out to Thee amid chastisement: Alleluia!

The Confessions of Saint Augustine (397-398)
Saint Augustine (354-430)

Used the expression twenty-four times:

Tell me, by thy mercy, O Lord, my God, what thou art to me. ... And I heard this, O Lord my God, and drank up a drop of sweetness from thy truth....

THE PRAYER,
O LORD MY GOD
By Saint Anselm (1033-1109)

O Lord my God.
Teach my heart this day
where and how to find you.

You have made me and re-made me,
and you have bestowed on me
all the good things I possess,
and still I do not know you.
I have not yet done
that for which I was made.

Teach me to seek you,
for I cannot seek you
unless you teach me,
or find you
unless you show yourself to me.

Let me seek you in my desire;
let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you by loving you;
let me love you when I find you.

A Prayer before a picture of Christ
by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, Aa heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.

O Lord, my God
Jacob Arcadelt (c. 1505-1568)

O Lord, my God, to thee do I lift up my soul.
O Lord, in thee, in thee have I trusted.
Let me not be ashamed,
Let not my foes triumph over me.
O lead me in a plain path;
cast me not off, neither forsake me.
Teach me thy way, Lord, Lead me, lead me in a plain path.
O hide not thy face, Hide not thy face far from me.
Lord God, Lord God, Hide not thy face far from me.
Amen.

0 Lord, My God, I Cry to Thee (1572)
by Nikolaus Selnecker, 1532-1592 Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. 0 Lord, my God, I cry to Thee;
In my distress Thou helpest me.
My soul and body I commend
Into Thy hands; Thine angel send
To guide me home and cheer my heart
When Thou dost call me to depart.

2. 0 Jesus Christ, Thou Lamb of God,
Once slain to take away our load.
Now let Thy cross, Thine agony,
Avail to save and solace me,
Thy deam to open heaven, and there
Bid me the joy of angels share.

3. 0 Holy Spirit, faithful Friend,
Grant me Thy comfort to the end.
When death and hell assail me sore.
Leave me, oh, leave me, nevermore,
But bear me safely through the strife,
As Thou hast promised. into life.

O Lord my God (1589)
William Byrd
Published: Songs of sundrie natures (1589), no.22 (23 in 1610 edition)

O Lord my God, let flesh and blood thy servant not subdue,
nor let the world deceive me with his glory most untrue,
let not, O Lord, O mighty God, let not thy mortal foe,
let not the fiend with all his craft, thy servant overthrow:
But to resist, give fortitude, give patience to endure,
give constancy that always thine I may persever sure.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Z48
Composer of music
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
1687
Author of text
Bible
Psalm 104 abridged

O Lord My God! How Great Art Thou! (1824)
Words: John AQ. dams (1767-1848). Music: Lowell Mason
first appeared in The Boston Handel and Haydn Society Collection of Church Music, third edition, 1825.

O Lord my God! how great art Thou!
With honor and with glory crowned;
Light’s dazzling splendors veil Thy brow,
And gird the universe around.
Spirits and angels Thou hast made;
Thy ministers a flaming fire;
By Thee were earth’s foundations laid;
At Thy rebuke the floods retire.
Thine are the fountains of the deep;
By Thee their waters swell or fail;
Up to the mountain’s summit creep,
Or shrink beneath the lowly vale.
Thy fingers mark their utmost found;
That bound the waters may not pass;
Their moisture swells the teeming ground,
And paints the valleys o’er with grass.
The waving harvest, Lord, is Thine;
The vineyard, and the olive’s juice;
Corn, wine, and oil, by Thee combine,
Life, gladness, beauty, produce.
The moon for seasons Thou hast made,
The sun for change of day and night;
Of darkness Thine the deepest shade,
And Thine the day’s meridian light.
O Lord, Thy works are all divine;
In wisdom hast Thou made them all;
Earth’s teeming multitudes are Thine;
Thine—peopled ocean’s great and small.
All these on Thee for life depend;
Thy Spirit speaks, and they are born;
They gather what Thy bounties send;
Thy hand of plenty fills the horn.
Thy face is hidden—they turn pale,
With terror quake, with anguish burn;
Their breath Thou givest to the gale;
They die, and to their dust return.
And Thou, my soul, with pure delight,
Thy voice to bless thy Maker raise;
His praise let morning sing to night,
And night to morn repeat His praise.

Be Thou My Helper In The Strife
Words: From Psalm 35, author unknnown. Music: William Bradbury, 1864.

O Lord, my God, I look to Thee,
Be Thou my righteous Judge, I pray;

A Hymn
Henry Kirk White (1785-1806)

O Lord, my God, in mercy turn,
In mercy hear a sinner mourn!
To thee I call, to thee I cry,
O leave me, leave me not to die!

Anglican Evening Prayer (Verses from Psalm 104)

Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!

How Great Thou Art (c. 1921)
Words and music by Stuart K. Hine (1899-1989)

(Alternative title: O Lord My God, When I In Awesome Wonder)

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Aah...

When thru the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

How great Thou art
How great...Thou art

How great Thou art
Oh Lord, my God

How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Oh Lord, my God
(repeat)

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God (1866)
Words: Horatio Bonar (1808-1889)
Music: Richmond

1. Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God,
In every part with praise,
That my whole being may proclaim
Thy being and Thy ways.

2. Not for the lip of praise alone,
Nor e'en the praising heart,
I ask, but for a life made up
Of praise in every part:

3. Praise in the common things of life,
Its goings out and in;
Praise in each duty and each deed,
However small and mean.

4. Fill every part of me with praise;
Let all my being speak
Of Thee and of Thy love, O Lord,
Poor though I be and weak.

5. So shall no part of day or night
From sacredness be free,
But all my life, in every step,
Be fellowship with Thee.

Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All
Words: Henry Collins, 1854

Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all!
How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift,
So far surpassing hope or thought?

Bible verses
King James Authorized Version (1611)

1. 1 Kings 3:7
"Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.

2. 1 Kings 8:28
Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

3. 1 Kings 17:20
Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?"

4. 1 Kings 17:21
Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"

5. 1 Chronicles 21:17
David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O LORD my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

6. 2 Chronicles 6:19
Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.

7. Psalm 7:1
[ A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite. ] O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

8. Psalm 7:3
O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands-

9. Psalm 13:3
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

10. Psalm 30:2
O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.

11. Psalm 30:12
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

12. Psalm 35:24
Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.

13. Psalm 38:15
I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.

14. Psalm 40:5
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

15. Psalm 86:12
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

16. Psalm 104:1
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

17. Psalm 109:26
Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.

18. Jonah 2:6
To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.

19. Habakkuk 1:12
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

© 1871-2024 Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon A.F. & A.M. Updated: 2009/06/01
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