Fernando Ortega is an adult contemporary singer-songwriter in contemporary … Read Full Bio ↴Fernando Ortega is an adult contemporary singer-songwriter in contemporary Christian music. He is noted both for his interpretations of many traditional hymns and songs, such as "Give Me Jesus" and "Be Thou My Vision," and for writing clear, easily understood songs, such as "This Good Day."

Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico near the banks of the Rio Grande. He started learning piano at eight years of age. Through his father's work with the United States Department of State, he also spent time in Ecuador and Barbados. It is from his heritage and classical training at The University of New Mexico where Ortega derives his sound, embracing country, classical, Celtic, Latin American, world, modern folk, and rustic hymnody. Fernando Ortega currently leads worship at Christ the King Anglican Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

His album Storm reached No. 197 on the Billboard 200 in 2002, and Christmas Songs reached No. 36 on the Billboard Christmas Album Chart in 2009.

Noonday Devil
Fernando Ortega Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know there's hope in anger
And tenderness in shame
Sometimes I find you
On the other side of pain

But sometimes in the heat of day
When I close my eyes to pray
It seems like you are far from me

My prayers are all in vain

In my hour of hopelessness
In my deep despair
The noonday devil whispers in my ear

I know that you are with me
But I can't feel a thing
The noonday devil
Has come around again

Oh Lord, make me angry
Oh Lord, make me cry
Oh Lord, please don't leave me here
To fall into the devil's lies

Father, you have called me
To live a life that's true
That all my labors and my words
Would speak my love for you

But walking through this desert
Life is empty and mundane
The noonday devil
Has come around again

Oh Lord, make me angry
Oh Lord, make me cry
Oh Lord, please don't leave me here
To fall into the devil's lies

Oh Lord, make me angry
Oh Lord, make me cry
Oh Lord, break my cold, cold heart

So I can know your love inside
Your love inside

Overall Meaning

The song Noonday Devil by Fernando Ortega is a soulful appeal to God for strength to overcome the temptations of the devil. The lyrics depict the struggles that the singer faces, and how the noonday devil whispers in his ear during his hour of hopelessness and deep despair. While the singer knows that God is with him, he cannot feel His presence, and his prayers seem to be in vain. He pleads with God to make him angry, to make him cry, and to break his cold heart so that he can know God's love inside.

The song explores the theme of spiritual warfare and the internal struggle between good and evil that is present in every person's life. The noonday devil is a metaphor for the temptations that we face every day, and the frustration that comes from feeling distant from God despite our efforts to reach out to Him. The singer's plea for God's help is a reminder that we cannot fight the devil's lies alone, and that we need God's strength to overcome them.

In conclusion, Noonday Devil is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles and challenges that we face in our spiritual lives. It is a reminder that even in our moments of despair and hopelessness, God is with us, and we can turn to Him for help. The lyrics are a plea for strength to overcome the devil's lies and to experience God's love in our hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

I know there's hope in anger
I understand that anger can be a source of strength and motivation.

And tenderness in shame
I recognize that feeling shameful can lead to a softening of the heart and greater compassion.

Sometimes I find you
At certain moments, I feel connected to God's presence.

On the other side of pain
I experience the power and comfort of God's love after enduring hardships.

But sometimes in the heat of day
However, there are times when, in the busyness of life, I struggle to connect with God.

When I close my eyes to pray
Even during prayer, I may find it difficult to sense God's presence.

It seems like you are far from me
It feels as if God is distant or unresponsive.

My prayers are all in vain
I feel like my efforts to communicate with God are ineffective.

In my hour of hopelessness
During times of despair and darkness,

In my deep despair
In moments of great sadness,

The noonday devil whispers in my ear
I am tempted and taunted by my negative thoughts and emotions.

I know that you are with me
Although I may not feel it, I trust that God is present with me.

But I can't feel a thing
I struggle to experience God's love and guidance.

The noonday devil
The negative voice in my head that tempts me towards hopelessness and despair.

Has come around again
Once again, I am faced with this struggle and temptation.

Oh Lord, make me angry
God, give me the passion and fire to fight against these negative thoughts and emotions.

Oh Lord, make me cry
Help me to release my emotions and express my pain.

Oh Lord, please don't leave me here
God, I need your presence and support to get through this dark time.

To fall into the devil's lies
So that I won't be deceived and surrender to my negative thoughts and emotions.

Father, you have called me
God, you have chosen me to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

To live a life that's true
To live a life that is authentic and aligned with your values and teachings.

That all my labors and my words
So that everything I do and say reflects my love for you and your teachings.

Would speak my love for you
So that everything I do becomes a testament to my devotion to you.

But walking through this desert
However, as I journey through life,

Life is empty and mundane
I feel a sense of emptiness and boredom in my daily routine.