Hear My Prayer

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Hear My Prayer (German: Hör' mein Bitten) is a Christian hymn for soprano, chorus and organ or orchestra (SATB) written by Felix Mendelssohn in Germany in 1844. The hymn is well known for the passage O for the Wings of a Dove (O Könnt ich fliegen).

The text (below, in the English language version) is derived from Psalm 55.

“Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear!
Thyself from my petition do not hide.
Take heed to me! Hear how in prayer I mourn to Thee,
Without Thee all is dark, I have no guide, .
The enemy shouteth, The godless come fast!
Iniquity, hatred, up on me they cast!
The wicked oppress me, Ah where shall I fly?
Perplexed and bewildered, O God, hear my cry!
My heart is sorely pained, within my breast,
my soul with deathly terror is oppressed,
trembling and fearfulness up on me fall,
with horror overwhelmed, Lord, hear me call,

O for the wings, for the wings of a dove!
Far away, far away would I rove!
In the wilderness build me a nest,
and remain there forever at rest."