God Is My Rock

You still call us to walk in paths of justice (Té me guías por sendas de justicia)

Author: Juan A. Espinosa (1978)
Tune: PERÚ (Espinosa)
Published in 1 hymnal

Author: Juan A. Espinosa

Born: 1940, Badajoz, Spain. Internationally recognized as one of the leading composers of Spanish liturgical music, Juan Antonio Espinosa composes songs that emphasize hope for the oppressed, social justice, and the power of faith. Currently, he directs the Association for the Promotion of Religious Music (APROMUR) in Spain and serves as a liturgical musician at San Estanislao Parish in Madrid. After living for a time in Peru, Juan published music reflecting the Andes style and Latin American social realities. Hispanic assemblies in the U.S. are familiar with Juan's uplifting music through his songs in the OCP collections Pescador de Hombres and Resucitó, and in Cánticos, Segunda Edición, Misal Del Día, Unidos En Cristo Música an… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: You still call us to walk in paths of justice (Té me guías por sendas de justicia)
Title: God Is My Rock
Spanish Title: El Señor Es Mi Fuerza
Author: Juan A. Espinosa (1978)
Meter: 11.6.11.6 with refrain
Language: English; Spanish
Refrain First Line: God is my rock and my salvation (El Señor es mi fuerze, mi roca y salvación)
Copyright: © 1973 Editorial Apostolado de la Prensa. Sole U.S. Agent: OCP Publications, 5536 N.E. Hassalo, Portland, Oreg. 97213. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Notes

Scripture References:
ref. = Ps. 46: 1
st. 1 = Ps. 23:3
st. 2 = Ps. 23:4

Juan S. Espinosa (b. Villafranca de los Barros, Spain, 1940) wrote the original Spanish text and composed the tune in 1969. It was first published in Madrid in 1970 in El Señor Es Mi Fuerza, his most significant song collection, which included forty-two liturgical songs written both in Spain and in northern Peru, where Espinosa worked with peasants. Espinosa has said that he "composed to offer the Christian communities in their liturgical expression a few songs in consonance with the new spirit of Vatican II." Espinosa, who earned a degree in theology and philosophy and also studied music, published a number of song collections. The English translation was published in Celebremos II (1983), a Hispanic hymnal of the United Methodist Church in the United States.

This hymn is based on Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though
the earth give way. . . .
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

As in the biblical psalm, the four stanzas of this text express an unshaken trust in God's guidance and protection of his people, especially when they face turmoil, injustice, and life's other trials. Thus the text is a testimony of confident faith, sure hope, and mutual encouragement. In the biblically proper sense of the term, this is a hymn text of "liberation theology."

Liturgical Use:
As is true of Psalm 46, this hymn fits many occasions of worship; useful for Old/New Year services, but especially at prayer services for justice and peace and urban ministries.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)

A New Hymnal for Colleges and Schools #202

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us