Commissioned - Waiting to Hear from You Lyrics + Chords
Lyrics
Like a candle lights up the darkness
So does Your word light my pathway
Like a farmer plants just to harvest
I need Your word to gain more faith
I can't trust in myself
I must depend on You
I need Your word to guide me through
Through this world of sorrow
A world filled with grief
And like the morning brings in the sunlight
You bring peace to my life
And like the stars that light up the nighttime
You are the star that shines so bright
I cannot trust in myself
I must depend on You
I need Your love to guide me through
A world of pain and sorrow
A world full of misery
I want to know
Is there a word from the Lord
(Is there)
If so, I'm longing to hear
(I'm waiting to hear)
I need to know what, what I must say
What road to take
Waiting to hear from You
(I'm amazed)
Knowing that all You will say is true
Now I'm down on my knees
And I'm waiting to hear from You
Oh, Lord, calling Your name, oh...
My life had no direction
Never could find my way, hey...
You bring peace into my life
And Your peace has come to stay
Waiting to hear from You
Knowing that all You will say is true
Now I'm down on my knees
Waiting to hear from You
Speak, Lord, and Your will I will obey
(I'm just waiting, yeah)
Speak, Lord, and Your will I will obey
(Speak)
A word from You
What will You have to do
We need a word from You
Speak to me, Jesus
We've left our wicked ways
And now we seek Your face
Oh, Lord, we humbly pray
And all we can say is
Yes, yes
(We'll say, we say yes)
(We'll do Your will)
(Please have Your way)
Speak to me, Jesus
Yes, yes
(When I'm down on my knees)
(And You know my heart, Lord)
(Oh-oh-oh...)
Speak to me, Jesus
(In the morning, we will say)
Yes, yes
(In the noonday, we will say)
(In the evening, we will say)
(Speak to me, yeah...)
Video
Waiting to Hear from You
Meaning & Inspiration
Commissioned's "Waiting to Hear from You," released on December 13, 1988, as part of their album *Will You Be Ready?*, stands as a powerful testament to the human spirit's profound need for divine guidance and affirmation. The song embarks on a spiritual journey, articulating a universal yearning for God's voice amidst life's inherent complexities and suffering. It paints a vivid picture of a soul navigating a world often described as one of "sorrow," "grief," "pain," and "misery," underscoring humanity's inherent limitations and the ultimate futility of self-reliance. The narrative unfolds from a place of recognizing personal inadequacy – the inability to "trust in myself" – to an earnest declaration of absolute dependence on a higher power, affirming, "I must depend on You." This foundational truth resonates deeply with scriptural wisdom, echoing sentiments found in Proverbs 3:5-6, which admonishes us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
The song brilliantly uses imagery to illustrate God's essential role in life. Comparing God's word to a candle lighting up darkness, it directly channels the imagery of Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." This emphasizes not just illumination, but also direction and safety. Similarly, the farmer's planting for harvest illustrates a principle of spiritual growth, where God's word is essential to cultivating faith, aligning with Romans 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." Furthermore, the lyrics describe God as the bringer of peace, akin to morning sunlight, and a brilliant guiding star in the night. This imagery reinforces divine attributes as the source of tranquility in a chaotic world, a peace that, as promised in John 14:27, is distinct from worldly peace, and as a constant, unwavering presence, much like the "bright Morning Star" referenced in Revelation 22:16, offering hope and certainty. The longing articulated—"Is there a word from the Lord? If so, I'm longing to hear"—is not a passive wish but an active seeking for specific direction, an echoing of the prophets and a cry for clarity on "what road to take," much like the psalmist in Psalm 25:4-5, who prays, "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me."
As the song progresses, the plea for guidance transforms into an act of profound submission. The posture of being "down on my knees" powerfully conveys humility and reverence, a universal symbol of prayer and supplication found throughout Scripture, such as in Ephesians 3:14 where Paul bows his knees before the Father. The recognition that "My life had no direction / Never could find my way" speaks to a common human experience of feeling lost without divine purpose, mirroring Jeremiah 10:23: "I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps." The core of the song's spiritual commitment is unveiled in the repeated and resolute declaration: "Speak, Lord, and Your will I will obey." This is a complete surrender, an active commitment to live according to God’s commands, moving beyond merely hearing to actively doing, as encouraged in James 1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only." This personal commitment then expands into a communal affirmation. The shift from "I" to "We" signifies a collective turning away from "wicked ways" to "seek Your face," an act of repentance and collective seeking of God's presence, reminiscent of the promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven." The song culminates in a triumphant, unwavering "Yes, yes" to God's will, a powerful testament to absolute faith and obedience, a desire for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done, both individually and collectively, as taught in Matthew 6:10. "Waiting to Hear from You" ultimately serves as an inspiring anthem for anyone seeking a deeper connection with the divine, a blueprint for humble dependence, earnest seeking, and unwavering obedience to the voice of God in a world desperately needing His peace and direction.