A New Prayer-Song During the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

At 3 AM last Wednesday my subconscious prodded me awake with the germ of an idea for a prayer-song appropriate to address the anxieties and fears evoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. After deciding that the text would be a paraphrase of the beloved Psalm 23, I crafted a text in which the first verse would look back to a time of intimacy with God, and the third would look forward to a return to that blessed time, but the central verse would acknowledge that we are in the present “walking in the valley of the shadow of death.” The basic composition was finished by about 10 AM, though I continued to tweak both text and music for the rest of the day.

The next day I sent it off to GIA, Inc, and they, recognizing the time-sensitive character of the text, immediately accepted it for publication and placed it on the OneLicense website where it can be downloaded and reproduced for worship use free of charge for one year as long as the copyright notice remains intact. The link takes you to multiple pdf files that would allow you to at least preview the composition. One of the pdf files takes you to a reproducible “combox” with the congregation’s refrain and the other to the first page of a melody line with piano accompaniment for preview.

I pray that this prayer-song will be of comfort and encouragement as we weather the pandemic and its effects.

Here is the text:

1. Shepherd and sheep, my God and I:
to fresh green fields you led my steps in days gone by.
You gave me rest by quiet springs
and filled my soul with peace your loving presence brings.

REFRAIN: O shelter me, O shelter me:
the way ahead is dark and difficult to see.
O shelter me, O shelter me:
all will be well if only you will shelter me.

2. Yet now I tread a diff’rent way;
death dogs my path with stealthy steps from day to day.
I cannot find your peaceful place
but dwell in dreary darkness, longing for your face.

REFRAIN:

3. I will look back in days to come
and realize your faithfulness has led me home.
Within your house I’ll find my peace,
trusting that in your mercy you have sheltered me.

May the compassionate and merciful God continue to assure us of his presence.

Michael Joncas

Ordained in 1980 as a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN, Fr. (Jan) Michael Joncas holds degrees in English from the (then) College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and in liturgical studies from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN and the Pontificio Istituto Liturgico of the Ateneo S. Anselmo in Rome. He has served as a parochial vicar, a campus minister, and a parochial administrator (pastor). He is the author of six books and more than two hundred fifty articles and reviews in journals such as Worship, Ecclesia Orans, and Questions Liturgiques. He has composed and arranged more than 300 pieces of liturgical music. He has recently retired as a faculty member in the Theology and Catholic Studies departments and as Artist in Residence and Research Fellow in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Please leave a reply.

Comments

9 responses to “A New Prayer-Song During the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic”

  1. Carl r. Opat

    Went BBC to one license grc found only ref no piano no verses. Gia nothing came up. Where can I buy a complete pdf

    Reply
  2. Michael Joncas Avatar
    Michael Joncas

    This should take you to a webpage where my “Shelter Me” appears first in line: https://onelicense.net/search?term=Shelter+Me&hymnal=&hymn=&page=1&type=submit-term&addition=&downloads-only=false. Check on the link that says “more versions” and see if that will connect you. If that doesn’t work, perhaps you could email http://www.giamusic.org and ask about free downloads of the song.

    Reply
  3. Carl r. Opat

    Thank you Father Michael. Printed song and is a moving song.
    Will use it this week at our taped Mass and will give you credit. Will also use on first week back in public worship whenever that may be. Peace stay healthy!

    Reply
  4. Jesslyn Ramlal

    This is truly worshipful and mercy-seeking, which is what we’re all about before God. I saw glimpses of Psalms 22, 56, and 118, as well of course as its main source, Psalm 23…many thanks

    Reply
  5. Linda reid

    I have been using the piece as a prayer before our livestream mass begins. It is such a wonderful composition, both theologically and artistically, as we have come to expect from Michael! I find that it touches people (at least the 5 people allowed in the space where we record) and I find that I am singing the refrain all day long. Thank you, Michael

    Reply
  6. Meryl Gillmore 

    Love to use your song but this frustrating to access. OneLicense does not allow printing from the PDF.

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth Farr

    How can I purchase the complete version? The One License version is NOT a PDF.

    Reply
  8. Sandra Dowhan

    How can I purchase a copy of the music for single user? I’m sure lots of musicians would like to have a copy of their own

    Reply
  9. Kirsten Cackoski

    I have tried to get the music for Shelter Me, but just keep hitting roadblocks and dead ends. I’m so disappointed. Why is it so difficult to access?

    Reply

Posted

in

, ,

by

Michael Joncas

Tags:

,

Discover more from Home

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading