It was the retirement celebration service of the senior pastor of my first multicultural church. He and his family had left their dominantly African-American community to pastor a small and dominantly white congregation. Over twenty years, his presence and leadership helped to grow this congregation four times in size and to represent more than thirty-five nationalities.
For his retirement celebration service, during the offertory, his wife and daughter, both very talented musicians, sang "My Help (Cometh From The Lord)." Written by Jackie Gouche Farris, the lyrics are very reflective of the Psalms and the melody is very moving. The song, while popularly performed by a choir, is singable also as a duet and maybe also a congregation. Lyrics below:
I will lift up mine eyes to the hills From whence cometh my help, My help cometh from the Lord, The Lord which made Heaven and Earth.
He said He would not suffer thy foot,
Thy foot to be moved; The Lord which keepeth thee, He will not slumber nor sleep.
Oh the Lord is thy keeper,
The Lord is thy shade
Upon thy right hand,
Upon thy right hand.
No, the sun shall not smite Thee by day,
Nor the moon by night, He shall preserve thy soul Even forever more.
My help, my help, my help, All of my help cometh from the Lord.