DAYTON, Ohio—“Keep Watch, Dear Lord,” a poignant new single from acclaimed singer/songwriter and podcaster
Rick Lee James, is
now available on digital platforms. Penned and produced by James with instrumental contributions from Dove Award-winner Craig Adams, the tender piano ballad pays tribute to the care and compassion selflessly administered each day by doctors, nurses and other medical professionals around the world.
Inspired by James’ role as a chaplaincy resident at Kettering Health in Ohio, “Keep Watch, Dear Lord” is not only a song of encouragement, but an earnest prayer for God to bestow comfort and peace upon those who have embraced a sacred calling to care for the suffering, dying and grieving.
“After a particularly difficult night when I sat by a patient's bedside and, along with the staff, sang to him as he went home to the Lord, I read part of the Compline Prayer,” James shares of the song’s inspiration. “The prayer begins with, ‘
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,’ and I thought of all the people who do the kind, compassionate work that takes place in healthcare settings. Now I sing the song to myself as I do my rounds at the hospital as a way of praying for the staff, for myself, and for all who are working for the sake of others.”
“They aren't thanked enough for their tireless work, but I have heard many of the nurses at my hospital say to their patients, ‘This is not our hospital; this is God's hospital.’ I hope 'Keep Watch, Dear Lord' will remind each of them—from the custodians to the cooks to the care teams to the techs—just how important and valued they are and that we are thankful for them.”
ABOUT RICK LEE JAMESRick Lee James is a singer/songwriter, worship leader, author, speaker and podcaster. His recordings include the critically lauded albums
Thunder (2019) and
Hymns, Prayers, and Invitations (2016); as well as the 2013 live release
Basement Psalms; and the singles “You Are My Salvation,” “As I Walk These Halls,” and "Shine A Light In The Darkness,” among others. James' book,
Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through The Psalms, has been used as a textbook for the National Praise & Worship Institute at Trevecca Nazarene University, and he has been a contributing writer to
Worship Leader,
Holiness Today,
The Table and Worshiplife.com.
As a podcaster, James has hosted more than 500 episodes of “Voices In My Head,” a show featuring interviews with authors, media personalities and such leading singer/songwriters as Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves, Keith Getty, Michael Card and Paul Baloche. He also hosts “Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast,” celebrating the life and legacy of Fred Rogers.
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