Save Me, O God

In 1995, while I was just starting to record my first album, a contemporary Christian music CD titled Stand, I was attending First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. It was here, under the music direction of the outstanding Fred Boch (check your hymnals for the name), that I first discovered the power of contemporary praise & worship music. I had grown up in a church which pretty much did hymns. And while I had visited a few other churches along the way, it was not until First Pres that I made the weekly, regular connection with this new style and really began to embrace it.

One thing we creative types tend to do in such situations is wonder if we could perhaps one day write a tune in that style. So on my way home from church one day, I started thinking it might be fun to try. I had been combing through the psalms seeking biblical inspiration, when I stumbled upon Psalm 54: 1-2.

Save Me, O God, by your name.
And vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God,
give ear to the words of my mouth.

Word for word from the revised standard version I had the chorus of what became my first praise and worship song. I began the verses by writing simple truths about who our saving God is.

For I know you are holy.
Your name’s above all names.
And I will follow you forever,
Lifting my voice to sing:

Save Me, O God, by your name.
And vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God,
give ear to the words of my mouth.

For I know you are with me,
always, ever, here in my heart.
And I will honor you forever.
Lifting my voice with praise.

Save Me, O God, by your name.
And vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God,
give ear to the words of my mouth.

Ironically, it took me several years to fully appreciate the power of this song. It just seemed so overly simple. The melody seemed haunting and easy to learn, but I was so used to the sophistication expected from Contemporary Christian Pop music that I was just not certain this song would be embraced by anyone. I could not have been more wrong. I pulled the song out a few years back when I needed a simple song to translate for a Mexican worship workshop and the song was immediately embraced. I just had to include it on this CD. It's one of my favorites of my melodies.

Our God is a saving God. He alone is worthy of our praise. He alone is worthy of our songs. He is faithful and ever present. To Him be the glory, the God who saves.