BE MERCIFUL, LORD.

"Be Merciful, Lord" is a poignant Lenten piece by Jude Nnam that calls the congregation to repentance. The song opens with an earnest, original refrain begging God to listen to the pleas of His straying people. This recurring cry for mercy makes it highly suitable for the Penitential Rite or as a solemn Offertory hymn during the season of Lent, setting a tone of humble reflection in the choir loft and the pews alike.

For the verses, the composer draws upon the deeply moving text of the classic hymn "My Song Is Love Unknown." These stanzas meditate on the profound sacrifice of Christ, contrasting His divine love with the rejection He faced on earth—having "no house, no home" and resting in a borrowed tomb. By weaving these traditional words into a fresh four-part choral arrangement, the piece guides the faithful through a journey of sorrow for sin and awe at the Savior's boundless love. It gives choirs a fitting way to lead the parish in contemplating the mysteries of Holy Week and the Lenten journey.