The Cry Of The Poor

"The Cry of the Poor" is a deeply comforting setting of Psalm 34, widely sung in Catholic parishes across Nigeria and beyond. With its gentle, flowing melody, the song draws the congregation into a space of trust and surrender. The refrain is simple and memorable, making it easy for the faithful to join in without needing to look down at a hymnbook.

Choirs often bring this piece out during the Liturgy of the Word as a Responsorial Psalm, especially on Sundays when the readings focus on God's closeness to the brokenhearted. It also serves beautifully as a reflective Communion hymn. The verses move through promises of divine protection and rescue, reminding us that God listens to the pleas of the lowly and offers safe shelter to crushed spirits.

Singing this arrangement requires a sensitive touch from the choir. The harmony parts in the solfa score provide a warm, supportive bed of sound under the melody, allowing the text to shine. When the voices blend on the final line of each verse—"who will hear the cry of the poor"—it creates a powerful moment of shared faith in the choir loft and the pews alike.