Chorus:
The Lord is near to those who call on Him
He is not far as we have made Him 		
He’s not a stranger to all our sufferings
He said “come now hurry all you weary”
To give them rest from burdens too heavy  
To wipe a tear from all hearts in misery

V1:
Sojourner and no place to stay
Abandoned, doubted and friends betrayed 	
Yet He arose to grant the way 
to eternity
A friend to the tax collectors, 
A comfort for the adulterers,
An advocate for the sinners 
Of whom I am chief

V2:
He guided all those questioning, 
goodness on earth He was spreading, 	
He tasted death while bearing 
The shame of sinners 
His night of death, prayed earnestly
Father willing, take this from Me
Sweat drops of blood from agony
All for my sake

V3: 
When I was thirsty He quenched me 
When I was naked He clothed me
When abandoned He sheltered me 
From all my fears 				
So how can I not be trusting
His love I'll never be doubting 
A Father who is so loving 
Even to death

The Lord is Near - الرب قريب - Translation

(If My own mother forgets me,
My Lord's embrace is enough for me) x2
Precious in His eyes is the smallest baby
So how can He forget me?
Refrain:
(So how can He forget me?) x2
If the mother forgets her baby,
My Lord will never forget me
(Treasured in His eyes is every tear,
Persistent is He to erase my fears) x2
To my soul, His love is always near
So how can He forget me?
Refrain
(Of the smallest bird, the Lord takes care
For the Lillies, clothing He prepares) x2
Precious in His eyes is every single hair
So how can He forget me?
Refrain
(For me the thorns you accepted
Not a single pain, have you rejected) x2
Beloved Jesus has never neglected
How then can He forget me?

If The Mother Forgets (إن أنسى)

Theotokia Medley

Have You Seen Him

You call to me I silence You
From all my sin Your path for me
for my eyes is hard to see 
You come to me I run from from You
Oh Lord the fire of Your Love
inside of me has been quenched (2x)

*Refrain:
Tend to me Oh Lord, Lay Your hands on me
And open for me my eyes
Bring me back to You, back to You
(The day I left You, my joy left me
I was burdened from all my worry) 2x
I rest in You alone, I rest in You

(All of my habits and my lusts have multiplied
My many prayers and requests are no more) 2x
When I repent my sins do not cease to return
Oh Lord correct me from my ways, please stay with me
Give me Your hand, and ill hold Your's (2x)

*Refrain

(You know my life from its beginning to the end
You see the troubles of heart, and what I've hidden) 2x
I have revealed myself to You, oh my healer
I am with you in times of fear, giving you comfort
No one but You has known me (2x)

*Refrain

You Call To Me ft. Coptic Oud

REFRAIN:

O MY MASTER HOW CRUEL WAS THE SHAMEFUL DEATH OF THE CROSS
BEFORE IT CARRIED YOU, YOU CARRIED IT
O RIGHTEOUS ONE

1)YOU ASKED FOR WATER, YOU TASTED VINEGAR
AND ALL BITTERNESS,
YOUR BLOOD FLOWED FROM YOUR BODY,
TO SAVE ALL SINNERS

2) UPON THE CROSS, O MY BELOVED
YOU SUFFERED MUCH PAIN
BY THOSE WHO CAUSED YOUR SUFFERING 
YET YOU FORGAVE THEIR SINS

3)ALL THIS MY LORD, 
TO BRING ME BACK
IN YOUR PROTECTION, I’LL LIVE WITH YOU
AND YOU WILL COMFORT ME

4) OH THAT MY HEART, MAY TREASURE YOU
SO THAT I MAY ATTAIN YOU
AND LIVE SINCERELY 
IN SUBMISSION TO YOU

O My Master

O Thou in whose presence delighteth my soul
And whom in my distress I call
My comfort by day and my refuge by night
My stronghold whenever I fall.

Shepherd of my soul I beg Thee to tell
Where thou keepest thy sheep to rest
For why should I roam in the valley of tears
And wander as one who is lost.

I ask thee to tell me daughters of Zion
Have ye seen the One I adore
I seek him in vain in the night of my soul
But lo! I can find Him no more.

Shepherd of my soul I shall follow Thee
O how sweet Thy voice is to me
So guide me and lead me and show me the way
My only desire is Thee.

I am my beloved’s and He is mine too
He calleth me sister and spouse
O how do I long for the day we shall wed
In heaven in His Father’s house.

O Thou In Whose Presence

O Seeker to Meet Jesus

In commemoration of our beloved Pope Shenouda III, this song was written to honor the great impact he had on all of our lives. His book “Have You Seen the One I Love?” describes a beautiful relationship with God that is based on sincere Love and wholehearted devotion. The beginning of the song describes how this relationship of Love with Christ was manifest in the lives of three women: The Shulamite, St. Photini (the Woman at the Well) and the Woman with the alabaster box. The second half of the song describes how Pope Shenouda’s love for his flock affected us deeply and taught us, by
example, to search with all our hearts, all our minds and all our souls for the One we love. We still feel his love and prayers today and hope that each of us can live the life of love and holiness that he embodied.

Have You Seen the One I Love? (Tribute to HHPS III)

His Sweet Voice

A stranger I lived in the world - غريبا عشت في الدنيا

*From the Poems of H.H Pope Shenouda III

A stranger I lived in the world
A foreigner like my forefathers
A pilgrim in my attitude
In my thoughts and my desires
A Stranger, I have no one to
Unload on him, my thoughts so true

The people do not like my roots
Nor do they understand my end
In craze arise the multitude
In maddening noise without an end
And I remain in solitude
Serenity in my heart felt
A stranger, I can find no home
Nor a corner to rest alone

I cast away the world's pleasures
Ignoring her callings to me
I went, I dragged away my things
Away from their merry-makings
My heart silent, indifferent
To all they think is important
My listening will never yield
To loud and worldly conversing

I wander off all on my own
So happy to be in the vast
With my timbrel and my cymbal
And melodies of praise I sing
And now comes the holy moment
In which I Retreat with my King
I roam about as a spirit
Invisible to on-lookers
The world alien I am to it
A foreigner like my forefathers

My existence is a triumph
No wealth, power to disturb me
No house is here to delay me
Nor any friend or family
And with me are the sweet verses
And great proverbs to console me
The Bible here my only lamp
And nothing else to concern me

I do not know of any fear
Nor any bonds that hinder me
No longer does the world rule me
Against me and at times for me
No longer does the world rule me
Against me and at times for me
I say to every enemy
Who only wants to seduce me
Beware that now I am alive
A stranger as were my fathers.

A stranger I lived in the world - غريبا عشت في الدنيا

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. “ Psalm 73:25

O Thou In Whose Presence

David Seif