O Lord Defend the Innocent

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I’ve been carrying this hymn title around for a couple months now. There are several reasons why, “O Lord defend the innocent” has been a prayer in my heart recently.

  1. Mass shootings in schools and malls where innocent people (especially children) have been murdered.

  2. The sexual abuse scandal in the SBC that is also evidence of the larger sexual abuse problem in our world.

  3. People being falsely or wrongly accused. This has happened to my own mother, and it is currently happening to a dear brother in our church.

So this morning I actually wrote out a hymn text with this prayer in mind. Below is the Short Meter (6.6.8.6) text I wrote:

  1. O Lord defend the innocent

The children as they play

Protect them as they go to school

And guide them on their way

2. O LORD defend the innocent

Against the shifty foe

Contend against the predator

And shield the child exposed

CHORUS: Arise, O God, arise

Defend, O Lord, defend

Protect the poor and needy ones

Defend the innocent

3. O LORD defend the innocent:

The one whose falsely blamed

LORD plead their just cause in the courts

And clear their guiltless name

4. O LORD defend the innocent

From ev’ry crooked plot

Preserve the elderly and frail

Let criminals be caught

I wrote two tunes to this text. Actually, the first I didn’t write but just adapted. The first tune I tried out is a beautiful folk tune that Smetana used in his “Ma Vlast (My Country)” symphonic poem no. 2 “Vlatava (The Moldau). It fits perfectly into a common meter melody. The second tune I wrote is kind of a modern, soulful melody. Then I wrote a third melody on my guitar, but it required the text going back to Long Meter (8.8.8.8.), so here is the long meter text:

  1. O LORD defend the innocent:

    The children as they walk and play

    Protect them as they go to school

    And guide them all along the way

  2. O LORD defend the innocent:

    The girl or boy out on the edge

    Contend against the predator

    Surround them with your mercy’s hedge

  3. O LORD defend the innocent:

    The blameless one falsely accused

    LORD plead their just cause in the courts

    And let their name not be abused

  4. O LORD defend the innocent

    From ev’ry devious evil plot

    Preserve the elderly and frail

    Let wicked criminals be caught

    Chorus:

    Arise, O God, arise

    Defend, O Lord, defend

    Protect the poor and needy ones

    Defend the innocent

Here are the three tunes. I am grateful for comments on which you like best as a congregational prayer song. https://soundcloud.com/james-cheesman-tx/sets/o-lord-defend-the-innocent