God Who Sees UsA New Hymn/AnthemBy Gloria Fanchiang “God Who Sees Us” is a lament anthem I wrote in 2021 in response to the rise of anti-Asian racism and violence during the covid-19 pandemic. Written from an Asian American context, the song is relevant for all communities facing injustice and on the journey toward liberation. The music may be used throughout the year for any justice-themed services, during the Advent and Lenten seasons, and during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in May. I started writing the piece after learning of Asian elders being attacked in the Bay Area, and I finished the song shortly after the Atlanta spa shootings, where six women of Asian descent were murdered. As an Asian American woman, I was devastated by these horrifying events. Thank God for the gift of music and this particular song to be an outlet and healing balm for myself and others. The story of Hagar inspires the lyrics in Genesis 16. Hagar was an enslaved woman and an ethnic minority in her community. She was profoundly oppressed and forgotten by her world, but God sought her out and saw her plight. Her story gave me much comfort and hope that God similarly saw the suffering of Asian Americans. For the song’s original recording, I collaborated with Feifei Yang, a professional erhuist or player of the erhu, to add an erhu part as a tribute to my ethnic roots. The erhu is a Chinese string instrument that my great-grandfather played, and it can produce a distinct tone that sounds like weeping. As we recorded the song, adding the erhu felt like a significant risk since the instrument is uncommon in the US, especially in church music. But I’m so glad that people of various ethnic backgrounds have shared how the erhu part moved them. I also incorporated a choir as an homage to Black gospel music, which has inspired me. I hope my song allows people to lament communally and hope for a better tomorrow, as many gospel songs do. It’s been such a blessing to see how far the song has traveled, and it is now available for purchase as a choral anthem with keyboard and guitar as well as erhu, which can be substituted by violin. You can listen to the original recording of the song. Other versions of the song are available on YouTube, as well as Spotify, Apple Music, etc. “God Who Sees Us” by Gloria Fanchiang Copyright © 2023 GIA Publications, Inc. Reproduced by permission of GIA Publications, Inc. Any further reproduction requires permission from the publisher. For congregational reprint permission, contact One License.
Verse 1: We have been forgotten and abandoned Cast aside, erased, and counted out Centuries of hatred and exclusion Stories lost and rarely talked about Yet the poorest are Your chosen Your favored are the least You are nearest to the outcast They are the ones You seek Refrain 1: You are the God who sees us You are the God who hears You know we long for justice You witness all our tears Though the world ignores our pain Our cries to You are not in vain You see us, God You see us and You hear Verse 2: God, You know the pain of losing family Jesus, You are weeping with us now As we face oppression, blame and violence You’re drawing near to comfort, hear us out You revealed Yourself to Hagar A foreign girl enslaved In her time of desperation You met her on the way Refrain 1 (repeated) Bridge: You see Yourself within us You see us with delight Your precious, holy children Heirs of the Most High You see Your own reflection The very face of God In Your beautiful creation A work inspiring awe Refrain 2: You are the God who sees us You are the God who hears You promise us a new day When there are no more tears Though we struggle now in pain You will redeem all hurt and shame You see us and You strengthen us You see us and You empower us You see us God, El Roi And You hear. ■
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Gloria Fanchiang is a singer/songwriter, recording artist, producer, and worship leader based in Los Angeles, California. Gloria holds a Certificate of Christian Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary, and she was named a Lovelace Scholar in 2019 by the Hymn Society. Gloria’s music was featured at the 2022 Urbana Missions Conference and the 2022 Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries Consultation. She is a second-generation Taiwanese American and is passionate about decolonizing worship for Asian Americans through her original worship music and blog on AAPI worship resources. Connect with Gloria on social media .svg.png)
Worship, Music & Ministry is a publication of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, Inc. and is issued three times a year. The journal is distributed to members of UCCMA as a benefit of membership. All correspondence concerning membership in UCCMA, changes of address and other inquiries should be addressed to the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, P.O. Box 370631, West Hartford, CT 06137. Information about the United Church of Christ Musicians Association is available at www.uccma.org. Copyright © 2023 by the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, Inc. |
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