Bless Me (Prayer Of Jabez)

One short prayer is repeated and built upon in "Bless Me (Prayer of Jabez)," and the title points straight to it. Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 asks God to bless him indeed, enlarge his territory, keep His hand upon him and keep him from harm. The song uses almost the same wording: "Bless me, oh Lord, bless me indeed. Enlarge my territory."

A response line shapes the arrangement, since the voices answer each request with "I pray for increase." The call-and-response gives a simple vamp room to grow, and the structure lets the congregation join without needing to learn a new verse.

The spoken section sets out the protection being asked for: "keep your hand upon me, that no evil can harm me," for "sunshine and rain, sickness and pain." The hand upon the singer recalls Psalm 139:5, and the request for safety from evil follows Psalm 91:10. Lyrics are short, and the song depends on the repeated plea, ending where it began on "enlarge my territory."