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.
Prayer For Home
Fernando Ortega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep the worried world far away and small
When they return, may quiet fill their souls,
Dearest Lord, keep them safe within it's walls.
May the stone be cool beneath their feet.
The canyon breezes circle soft and sweet
When darkness falls, the stars and opal moon
May it be a refuge for their love,
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
Grow ever nearer to You there.
Many a burdened friend in their company rises,
A heavy heart is soon released to fly.
May their table be blessed with laughter and with grace
And by the comfort of kinship be surprised.
May it be a refuge for their love,
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
Grow ever nearer to You there.
May the cold wind blow far from their front door
May the winter rains never bring them harm
May their hearthfires burn throughout the night
Grant them peace until morning's perfect light.
May it be a refuge for their love,
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
Grow ever nearer to You there.
The song "Prayer for Home" by Fernando Ortega is a touching and heartfelt prayer for a loved one and their home. The lyrics begin with a request for peace, the "most precious gift of all", to keep the "worried world far away". The prayer then asks that when the loved one returns home, their soul may be filled with quietness and safety. The imagery of the stone being cool beneath their feet, the canyon breezes circling softly, and the stars and opal moon shining brightly, shows a desire for the loved one to experience tranquility and warmth within their home.
The prayer also asks that their home may be a place of refuge for their love, a harbor for their deepest prayer, and a place where they may come to flourish and grow closer to God. The hope is that many will find comfort and solace in the home of the loved ones, and that their table will be blessed with laughter, grace, and comfort. Finally, the prayer asks that their home may be protected from harm, and that peace may endure until the perfect light of morning.
Overall, "Prayer for Home" is a beautiful and heartfelt prayer for the safety, peace, and blessing of a loved one and their home. It is a poignant reminder that home is a place of refuge and sanctuary, where one can find solace, love, and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Grant them peace, most precious gift of all
May they be blessed with peace, which is the most valuable gift that can be given to anyone.
Keep the worried world far away and small
May their world be sheltered from worries and fears, and may it not overwhelm them.
When they return, may quiet fill their souls,
When they come back, may their souls be filled with peace and quietness.
Dearest Lord, keep them safe within it's walls.
May the Lord keep them safe and sound within the walls of their home.
May the stone be cool beneath their feet.
May their feet find comfort and coolness while walking on stone floors.
The canyon breezes circle soft and sweet
May the cool and refreshing breeze of the canyon swirl gently around them.
When darkness falls, the stars and opal moon
May they be guided by the stars and the bright moon in the darkness of the night.
Find them wrapped in each other, ever warm.
May they always be wrapped in love and intimacy, and feel warmth between them.
May it be a refuge for their love,
May their home be a safe haven for their love and affection.
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May it be a place for them to retreat and pray in peace.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
May they grow and prosper in the garden surrounding their home.
Grow ever nearer to You there.
May they grow ever closer to God in their home.
Many a burdened friend in their company rises,
May their friends find solace and peace by being in their company.
A heavy heart is soon released to fly.
May their home be a place where heavy hearts find relief and can soar free.
May their table be blessed with laughter and with grace
May their dinners be joyful and full of grace.
And by the comfort of kinship be surprised.
May they be pleasantly surprised and comforted by the presence of their family.
May the cold wind blow far from their front door
May cold winds stay away from their door, and not bring harm.
May the winter rains never bring them harm
May the winter rains not cause them any troubles.
May their hearthfires burn throughout the night
May their fireplaces keep burning all night long to provide heat and warmth.
Grant them peace until morning's perfect light.
May the Lord grant them peace until the next morning's light.
May it be a refuge for their love,
May their home be a safe haven for their love and affection.
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May it be a place for them to retreat and pray in peace.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
May they grow and prosper in the garden surrounding their home.
Grow ever nearer to You there.
May they grow ever closer to God in their home.
Contributed by Joshua L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Janice Bultman Bogott
on Into Your Presence
Is there anywhere I can get the sheet music for piano for this song? I just love it!!