I Will Stay

Dunsin Oyekan's “I Will Stay” is a short, repetitive song of waiting on God. It begins with a spoken-sung command, “Wait on the Lord. Wait, wait. Stay with Lord. Stay, stay. Build up your strength.” The words turn into a prayer to the singer's own soul, with the soul addressed directly in a parenthesis.

The central lines say, “I will stay at the altar, to drink of the living waters, till I overflow, I'll be satisfied, for this is what the nations need.” That last phrase gives the waiting a purpose beyond personal comfort, since the singer is seeking to be filled so that others may be reached. The chorus is a simple vow, “I'm gonna wait on the Lord,” sung by the leader and then by the group. The close restates the commitment with the line “I choose You,” and returns to drinking from the living waters. The song is meant for extended times of prayer and worship, such as a night vigil, where the repetition allows people to stay in one place without hurrying. It works as an invitation to slow down, and its message is that waiting at the altar is an act of strength.

Renewed strength for those who wait is Isaiah 40:31. Waiting for the Lord is Psalm 27:14, and rivers of living water are John 7:37-38.