A Prayer for Jerusalem

2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

A note from Steve

A Prayer for Jerusalem

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A few years ago during one of the summers a certain song/tune began developing in my mind and heart. I believe it started as I sat at the piano in my studio. So as usual I began to work on it. This was a different song in that it wouldn’t leave me alone. It just overwhelmed me. The song was on my mind constantly in the day and while I slept. There were times after I finished the body of the composition that I could hardly play it, because whenever I did play it I felt like Adonai, including the host of heaven was with me in my studio. Sometimes I would shake so that I could hardly finish playing the song on the piano given I could barely keep me fingers on the keys.

Sometime later I just happened to be going through my performance season and while I was performing my compositions at a retirement home, I told the audience a version of the story above, and that I hadn’t yet created a name for the song. So I performed it with the same passion as I was in my recording studio. Afterwards, a resident in the audience yelled out: A Prayer for Jerusalem.

So this became the official name of the song; but, that’s not all. Later on, maybe a year or two later I was to visit a close friends in British Columbia. They asked me to prepare to play my compositions at a meeting. So I thought about it and prayed, then I decided to do: “A Prayer for Jerusalem.”

It so happens that the original lecture could not make it to the meeting that day, so an alternate speaker was called to talk in stead. The program was setup so the lecture would be right after my performance. Again, before playing the song I told the audience the same story above including how the song got its name. Then I played it with the same passion.

Afterward, the visiting lecture gave us the message he prepared, which was based on Psalm 122, “A Prayer for Jerusalem.”

Quotes from listeners:

“I listened to the song you composed it is 'HEAVENLY, BEAUTIFUL, FILLED WITH SUCH COMPASSION, IT TOUCHED MY VERY SOUL.”

“Stephen, I listened to your beautiful composition. Piano music is my favorite music of...although I do enjoy the violin amongst other instruments.

In the beginning...it was to me just beautiful music...

The notes you played on the piano... just beautiful.

The sound the piano makes is just something that soothes my spirit like no other instrument besides the harp. But even still, if I had to choose, I’d choose the piano.

Anyway, as the song progressed, it sounded like a dirge. A song you would play for a funeral.

I thought this would be a perfect composition to play for a narrative of the Holocaust or a movie like Shindler's List.

Then, around 3:35 seconds the tempo changed. I shivered! I heard crying....

Then, when it changed again, I heard wailing! I shuddered and shivered again literally.

I heard what started out to be a sad song (mourning song) that progressed into crying...then wailing...”

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