Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

LSB #589 "Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Samuel 3:10; 1 Peter 1:23-25; John 6:63; 15:7-8

1 Samuel 3:10:  "And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, 'Samuel!  Samuel!'  And Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant hears.'"

1 Peter 1:23-25:  "23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, and the flower falls,  25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.'  And this word is the good news that was preached to you."

John 6:63:  "'It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.'"

John 15:7-8:  "7 'If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.'"

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The text is public domain:
Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens,
Let Your Word to me come near;
Newborn life and spirit give me,
Let each promise still my fear.
Death's dread pow'r, its inward strife,
Wars against Your Word of life;
Fill me, Lord, with love's strong fervor
That I cling to You forever!
Oh, what blessing to be near You
And to listen to Your voice;
Let me ever love and hear You,
Let Your Word be now my choice!
Many hardened sinners, Lord,
Flee in terror at Your Word;
But to all who feel sin's burden
You give words of peace and pardon.
Lord, Your words are waters living
When my thirsting spirit pleads.
Lord, Your words are bread life-giving;
On Your words my spirit feeds.
Lord, Your words will be my light
Through death's cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing
And my cup of joy unfailing!
As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me;
Let Your words in me take root.
May Your Spirit e'er be near me
That I bear abundant fruit.
May I daily sing Your praise,
From my heart glad anthems raise,
Till my highest praise is given
In the endless joy of heaven.
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The first line of the hymn comes from 1 Samuel 3:10.

John 6:63 seems to appear in the third verse, but there are other Bible verses that bear a stronger resemblance to the hymn.  "Lord, Your words are waters living / When my thirsting spirit pleads" could come from John 4:14 ("'but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life'") or Revelation 7:17 ("'For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'").  "Lord, Your words are bread life-giving" seems to point to John 6:35 ("Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'").  "Lord, Your words will be my light" resembles Psalm 119:105 ("Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path") and possibly even John 8:12 ("Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'").

John 15:7-8 appears in the last verse, particularly in the lines "May Your Spirit e'er be near me / That I bear abundant fruit."

1 Peter 1:23-25 could be cited throughout the hymn.  Verse 23 bears the most resemblance to the line "Newborn life and spirit give me" in the first verse, but like the third verse, this passage mentions the life-giving word of God, and like the fourth verse, it uses agricultural imagery (imperishable seed).