Academy #32 Tú has venido a la orilla / Lord, You Have Come

At this afternoon's Word and Table (Eucharist) Service, we sang a song from the United Methodist Hymnal, #344.  In Spanish it is titled: «Tú has venido a la orilla».  It is also known in Spanish as «Pescador de hombres».  In English, the song is "Lord, You Have Come".

The refrain goes like this:

Spanish:
Señor, me has mirado a los ojos,
sonriendo has dicho mi nombre,
en la arena he dejado mi barca,
junto a ti buscaré otro mar.

English:
O, Lord, with your eyes set upon me,
gently smiling, you have spoken my name;
all I longed for I have found by the water,
at your side, I will seek other shores.


I have learned along my journey to pay attention to and to follow the tears.  So, when tears welled up in my eyes for no apparent reason (to me) during the song and especially during the chorus, I made a mental note (and a note in my notebook, in case I forgot later).  Sometimes simply singing in Spanish penetrates to my soul's depth and can pierce my inner being.  Was it simply that?  Or is there deeper meaning because of the words?  I don't know. 

I do know that by voicing that my Creator has looked me in the eyes and has called out my name while smiling... well, that has a powerful effect.  Then, thinking about being willing to seek other shores by Christ's side, whatever those shores may be..... that's powerful too.

Here are the entire lyrics: (this is not the translation from the United Methodist Hymnal by Gertrude C. Suppe)

Estrofa 1
1. Tú has venido a la orilla,
no has buscado ni a sabios ni a ricos;
tan sólo quieres que yo te siga.

Estribillo
Señor, me has mirado a los ojos,
sonriendo has dicho mi nombre,
en la arena he dejado mi barca,
junto a ti buscaré otro mar.

Estrofas 2-4
2. Tú sabes bien lo que tengo;
en mi barca no hay oro ni espadas,
Tan sólo redes y mi trabajo.

3. Tú necesitas mis manos,
mi cansancio que a otros descanse,
Amor que quiera seguir amando.

4. Tú, pescador de otros lagos,
ansia eterna de almas que esperan,
amigo bueno, que así me llamas.

Verse 1
1. Lord, you have come to the seashore,
neither searching for the rich nor the wise,
desiring only that I should follow.

Refrain
O, Lord, with your eyes set upon me,
gently smiling, you have spoken my name;
all I longed for I have found by the water,
at your side, I will seek other shores.

Verses 2-4
2. Lord, see my goods, my possessions;
in my boat you find no power, no wealth.
Will you accept, then, my nets and labor?

3. Lord, take my hands and direct them.
Help me spend myself in seeking the lost,
returning love for the love you gave me.

4. Lord, as I drift on the waters,
be the resting place of my restless heart,
my life's companion, my friend and refuge.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Verse 3 in English expresses my heart's desire to love others. 
It says:

Lord, take my hands and direct them.
Help me spend myself in seeking the lost,
returning love for the love you gave me.

Here is a link to listen to the song in Spanish: «Tú has venido a la orilla»

Here is another version in Spanish of the same song: «Pescador de hombres»

In English, it is known as "Lord You Have Come" or "Lord,You Have Come to the Lakeshore/Seashore" or "Fisher of Men".

The words and tune were originally written in Spanish by Cesareo Gabaraín, a Spanish Catholic priest who lived between 1936 and 1991.  He is known for his liturgical music compositions in Spanish.  It was first published in 1979.  This song has been translated into many languages and is sung around the world.

There are varying English versions (translations), but they will be similar in meaning overall.  The English version in the United Methodist Hymnal was translated by Gertrude C. Suppe, George Lockwood, and Raquel Gutiérrez-Achon in 1987.

According to hymnary.org, this hymn is found in 5 hymnals: Chalice Hymnal (#342), Presbyterian Hymnal (#377), United Methodist Hymnal (#344), Voices United: The Hymn and Worship Book of the United Church of Canada (#563), and Worship and Rejoice (#347).

Have you heard God calling you lately?  Have you noticed God smiling at you as your name was spoken?  What was your response?

May you be blessed by the lyrics and the YouTube links posted here of this tremendous song.  But more than that, may you hear your name called by the one who created you.  And, as you look toward your Creator, may you notice the smile as Creator God looks into your eyes.  May you know that you are loved and cherished. 

Blessings on your journey,

~Debra

 

Cape San Blas, FL May 2011 dd