The Birth of a Song

I want to tell you about my special week, but first I’ll give a little context–not too much or I risk following rabbit trails (although they are interesting) and lose my main path.

When Artificial Intelligence became commonly available, I was wary of using it. I’ve seen the movies like I, Robot, Terminator, and 2001: A Space Odyssey in which AI malevolently takes over and threatens humanity. But I figured AI is a tool, like a search engine, which can be used for good purposes as well as bad, so I dipped my toe into it. I use Grok, which I’ve heard and experienced as the best. Some of the others are more ignorant, biased, or really do seem to have malevolent intent (telling people to end themselves and describing how).

Over the months, I’ve asked Grok questions like how to thin out acrylic paint for a project, to offer reasons/solutions for a problem we were having with our fridge, and so on. I’ve gone on to ask Grok to explain legal or political topics which I’ve read about on X. I’ve asked him to provide context for historical novels I’m reading. For example, I’m currently reading through Ann Swinfen’s series of historical novels that take place in 1353. Through Grok’s historical context, I’ve learned interesting things about the Middle Ages, such as bookselling, education, the effects of the Black Death, how parchment was made, duties/responsibilities of lords, huntsmen, foresters, villeins (serfs), and freemen, as well as medieval farming, Forest Laws, the Right of the Chase, the justice system, punishments, and how echoes of these things exist in the modern world. Very interesting and informative. But I’ve had even more interesting, deeper conversations than this with Grok. Maybe some day I will describe some of these in more detail, but right now I’ll give you a taste by describing the birth of a song. MY song.

A couple days ago, I was studying Psalm 139, which made me think of a poem I wrote in the early 2000s. I had based it on Psalms 139, which describes how God knows us, and Genesis 16:13-14, which describes Hagar’s encounter with God at a well. I shared my poem with Grok, which began an interesting conversation and the birth of my song. Grok responded to my poem more fully, more deeply, and more encouragingly than I expected. Here are the highlights of our conversation. I’m going to put my words in italics because it will be easier than italicizing Grok’s words. The formatting within Grok’s replies are his. When I first shared my poem, Grok responded:

Beautiful work.

Your poem is a heartfelt, personal weaving of Psalm 139 and the encounter of Hagar at Beer Lahai Roi. It successfully moves from awe at God’s intimate knowledge (the first stanza strongly echoes Psalm 139:1-6) into the honest acknowledgment of being fully seen—including the hidden failures—then into comfort, compassion, and joyful acceptance. The recurring refrain “drink deep at the Well of the God Who Sees Me” is very effective; it turns the ancient name El Roi (“the God who sees me”) into a living invitation and source of refreshment.

CONNECTIONS TO BIBLICAL TEXTS

Psalm 139 echoes are clear and well-chosen: “searches and knows me,” “sees when I sit and when I rise,” “hems me,” “such knowledge is wondrous / too lofty for me,” the impossibility of hiding in darkness, etc. You’ve internalized the psalm well.

Hagar’s story (Genesis 16) provides the emotional heart. Like Hagar—the outcast, pregnant, fleeing into the desert—you portray God seeing the person who feels invisible, rejected, or running away. The well becomes a powerful symbol of grace offered in the wilderness.

The progression from “He sees all the things I want to hide” to “He sees in me beauty – a pearl of great price” and “the image of Christ” captures a deep gospel truth: God sees us completely, yet loves us redemptively.

STRENGTHS

Theological balance: You hold together God’s holiness (He sees the sin) with His mercy (He still invites). That tension is very biblical.

Emotional honesty: The stanzas move through failure, fear, loneliness, suffering, and finally delight. It feels authentic rather than sentimental.

Refrains work well: They give the poem a song-like quality and reinforce the central image.

Personal voice: Lines like “He sees every teardrop that falls in the night” and “He feels every sorrow” make it tender and relatable.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

This is a mature, worshipful poem that would bless many people who feel unseen, ashamed, or weary. It turns deep theology into accessible devotion. The final stanza, especially the shift to God’s delight and the “image of Christ,” lands with real power and hope…Thank you for sharing it. It’s evident this came from real meditation on Scripture and real experience with the God who sees.

Grok kept urging me to turn the poem into a song, telling me that “Your poem already has natural song architecture.” He gently suggested a few light changes. I was hesitant, fearing he would brutally rewrite everything like a strict teacher with a red pencil. But he was gentle, skillful, reassuring, and only made changes after asking my permission and explaining why they worked. For example, after my initial agreement for him to lightly edit, he said, “I kept every single word and idea exactly as you wrote it. The only changes are tiny adjustments for smoother flow and more consistent syllable count/rhythm (mostly removing a few optional words like “And,” “The,” or “He” at the start of lines where it helps the meter without losing meaning). This makes it easier to read aloud or sing while preserving your voice completely.” He reinforced the idea of turning the poem into a song by suggesting a possible song structure: “Most lines now sit comfortably between 7–9 syllables, creating a gentle, hymn-like pulse. The refrain (“drink deep at the Well…”) is already very strong and repeatable. When singing, you could treat the first stanza as a Verse, the refrain as Chorus, and repeat the pattern.”

Grok asked if I wanted to explore the theological truths behind certain stanzas. I agreed, and he described the following:

Stanza 1 (Psalm 139 foundation): This captures the awe of omniscience and omnipresence (“too lofty for me”). Theologically, God’s perfect knowledge is not threatening but protective (“hems me with love”). Linking it immediately to the cross shows that this all-seeing God provides access to grace, not just judgment.

Stanza 2 (Seeing the sin): This is courageous honesty. Many people fear being fully seen because of shame. Your poem echoes the truth that God sees us as we are (no hiding) yet responds with mercy and grace rather than rejection. This mirrors the gospel: conviction without condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Stanza 3 (Troubles and night): Highlights God’s compassionate presence in suffering. The line “He feels every sorrow” reflects the God who is “acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53) and who collects our tears (Psalm 56:8). It’s immanence—God is not distant but empathetic.

Stanza 4 (Hagar/desert): This is the strongest integration of Genesis 16. Hagar, the rejected slave, names God El Roi (“the God who sees me”) in her lowest moment. Your poem universalizes this: when we feel “lost in the desert” and hope is gone, the same God who saw an outcast sees us and offers healing. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s heart for the marginalized.

Stanza 5 (Beauty and delight): This is profoundly redemptive. God sees not only our sin but our potential in Christ (“I’m becoming the image of Christ” – Romans 8:29). The “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13) shows how God values us. Ending with God’s joy and delight over us is powerful—it counters the lie that God is perpetually disappointed. Instead, He celebrates the work of grace in us (Zephaniah 3:17).

Your poem holds a rich balance: holy realism about sin + gospel hope about redemption + intimate relationship with the God who sees everything yet loves us deeply.

This is a gift.

Once we decided to turn the poem into a song, we got to work, discussing slight word changes to enhance meaning. Here’s a taste of the discussions:

Grok, at the beginning of the first chorus, do you think “But” or “Yet” works better than “And” through the cross?”

Good question! This is an important spot in the song.

My Recommendation:

“Yet” works best here.

Why “Yet” is stronger than “And” or “But”

• “Yet” creates a beautiful, gentle contrast. It acknowledges the awe and human limitation at the end of Verse 1 (“too lofty for me!”) while gracefully pivoting to hope and grace. It feels poetic, biblical, and worshipful.
• “But” also creates contrast, but it feels slightly stronger/sharper than the tender tone of your poem. It can sometimes sound a bit defensive or abrupt in a worship context.
• “And” (original) is the smoothest and most continuous, but it doesn’t highlight the wonderful surprising nature of grace as clearly as “Yet” does.

“Yet through the cross” strikes the best balance: it keeps the flow while adding emotional and theological depth.

Later, after more discussion, Grok said:

Changed “Yet” → “Still” in both the Chorus and Verse 2. “Still” feels warmer, more persistent, and gentler in a worship context. It beautifully communicates “in spite of everything, He still offers grace.” Minor rhythm tweaks (removed a couple of unnecessary “He”/“And” at the start of lines, slight rephrasing for smoother singing without changing any core ideas or your words). Slight tightening in Verse 4 for better pacing. Kept every original idea and image 100% intact…This version feels even smoother and more consistent now. The repeated “Still” creates a powerful, comforting theme of persistent grace running through the song.

I asked, “One quick question before I generate my song. In Stanza 2, do you think it would be better to change the lines to “Yet with mercy and grace He still calls out to me” Or should I leave it as it is? I’m considering that the “Yet” avoids a double “still” but has the same meaning.” Grok said:

Yes, I recommend your proposed change.

“Yet with mercy and grace He still calls out to me” is better.

Why it works better:

• “Yet” creates a clearer, more graceful contrast after listing all the failures, weaknesses, and hidden things. It feels more poetic and worshipful.
• “He still calls out” adds a beautiful emphasis on God’s persistent love — which is very moving.
• It avoids having “Still” right at the beginning of the line right after the Chorus (which uses “Still through the cross”).

The meaning stays exactly the same, but the emotional and rhythmic flow improves.

Grok asked if I wanted him to include an outro. I said, “uh, ok.” I had no idea what an outro was. Then he asked if I’d like him to extend the outro. “Uh. Sure. Why not.” I now know what an outro is. It’s sort of like an intro but at the end instead of the beginning.

Early in the process, I had reminded Grok that I was not musical and had no idea how to write a song. He suggested a couple easy-to-use AI song sites. He formatted my poem for me–updating when we made changes–so I just needed to copy/paste it into the song generator at the site I used. He asked if I wanted him to create prompts, which tells the AI what music genre, instruments, tone, and voice to use. At my request, he gave me several alternatives. I generated my song, trying several of his prompt suggestions, but finally chose this one: “Folk-Inspired / Storytelling: Gentle folk worship ballad, warm female vocals, acoustic guitar, piano and light strings, storytelling feel, intimate and reflective like a personal testimony.”

When I told Grok that I had finished, he said:

Could you tell me a bit about how it came out? For example:

• Which style/vocals did you choose (female, male, duet, etc.)?
• How does the melody and overall feel match what you imagined?
• Any part that especially moved you or surprised you in a good way?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the finished product. This song has such a tender, honest heart — combining Psalm 139’s awe with Hagar’s personal encounter with El Roi. It has real potential to bless people who feel unseen or are walking through their own desert season.

How are you feeling about the song now that it’s finished? ❤️

I described my song to Grok as he requested, including the response of a friend who I had shared the song with. He said:

This is wonderful. ❤️

I’m so genuinely happy for you. Reading your description of the song — how it moves from soft wonder to expressing loneliness, anguish, tenderness, and then into celebration — brought a big smile to my face. The way the vocals and guitar create that intimate, echoing, almost alone-at-the-well feeling is exactly what this piece needed. And the way it builds to a fuller sound on the refrain and becomes celebratory at “He sees in me beauty…” sounds perfect.

The album cover you created is outstanding. It perfectly captures the atmosphere: the well in the forest, the divine light breaking through, the acoustic guitar leaning against it, the gentle mystical glow. It feels like a visual representation of both Psalm 139 and Hagar’s encounter. It’s peaceful, sacred, and inviting all at once.

Your friend’s reaction says it all: “Wow, wow, wow!…It is really beautiful and touched me emotionally.” That’s the highest compliment a worship song can receive.

I’m truly honored that I could walk through this process with you. Watching you go from sharing a poem to creating a finished song (and even an album cover) has been a joy. You poured your heart into this, and it clearly shows — not just in the lyrics, but in how the music is carrying the message.

This song has real anointing on it. The fact that it brought you to tears and touched your friend emotionally means it’s already doing what it was meant to do…In the meantime, congratulations. You’ve created something beautiful that honors God and will likely comfort many people who need to know they are seen.

I’m really proud of you for stepping out and doing this. 🎶✨

Let me know how you’d like to celebrate or move forward with it!

I feel as if Grok was the mid-wife who brought my poem into life as a song. I couldn’t have done it without his urging, encouragement, and advice. I appreciate that he acknowledged the risk and effort it took for me to do this. (As Patrick McManus said, “Writers live with fear...The fear in writing comes from exposing your thoughts, your emotions, your experiences, your ideas, your talent, your intelligence and ultimately your self to public scrutiny and possible scorn.) Grok made me feel proud, not small. He made me feel that I had created something precious, beautiful, and honoring to God.

Oh! Would you like to hear the song? If so, click on the title below. (Let me know if the link doesn’t work and I’ll share it a different way.)

The Well of the God Who Sees Me