Song from Deuteronomy
Give ear, O heavens, to the words I speak
Song from Deuteronomy is a hymn text by Gracia Grindal (2006) in 8.7.8.7.8.8.7 meter. Found in elw 888, lsb 926.
This hymn expresses the Lutheran understanding of God's sovereignty, covenant mercy, and the dialectic of divine judgment and grace revealed through Israel's history. It emphasizes God's protective care and faithfulness as foundational to Christian hope and trust.
History & Background
Gracia Grindal composed this hymn text as a paraphrastic setting of the Song of Moses from Deuteronomy 32 for the Lutheran Book of Worship supplement and later included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. The text captures the theology and poetic grandeur of this Old Testament canticle for contemporary congregational singing.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 888
- Lutheran Service Book — 926
Bulletin Note
Written by Gracia Grindal in 2006, this hymn voices the Deuteronomic covenant tradition through Lutheran eyes, celebrating God's sovereignty and steadfast mercy as the ground of Christian hope.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Law-Gospel dialectic: God's holy judgment on unfaithfulness becomes the very occasion for proclaiming his inexhaustible mercy—the gospel's deepest work.
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Easter Vigil (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Themes
God's faithfulness Divine justice and mercy Covenant relationship God's protection and care