(EDITOR’S NOTE: When I read this feature that was published in the Nassau Guardian on Thursday, December 6, 2018, I immediately decide that I had to repost it in BAHAMAS CHRONICLE. As I noted in response to a post about it on Facebook, Vanessa Clarke is one of the very gifted and talented young journalists I had the pleasure of working with when I was Managing Editor of The Guardian in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and I am extremely proud of her accomplishments as a journalist and a remarkable singer. So, it is a pleasure to share this article with the many followers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE across the United States, Great Britain and, of course, The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.)
NASSAU, Bahamas — Two days before she left Grand Bahama to record her new single, Vanessa Clarke slipped and fell. As she fell, she screamed, “No, no, no!” The only thing on her mind was being able to get on the plane to New Providence to record her song. She would not let an injured leg stop her. So, she donned a knee brace rather than visit the hospital; at the airport, she asked for wheelchair service; and when she got to the studio, she asked for a chair to sit in while she sang. The only problem she encountered, the notes she wanted would not come out.
She was pushed to near tears as she thought about not being able to complete the work that she knew the Lord had for her. She had already dedicated the entire week to completing the project in New Providence. She thought about having to return to Grand Bahama without getting anything done. When depression could have set in, resilience kicked its way in instead.
She recalled saying to herself, “I will just have [to] stand up and bear the pain. I am not going home until this is done.”
She said her producers, Junior Scott and Frederick Seymour, showed no mercy as they endeavored to make the song one of their brilliant works.
Clarke said on that first day she stood for hours, with pain in her legs to belt the powerful, anointed and beautiful, “Plead My Cause (Psalm 35)”. Ironically, it’s a prayer song that invokes the presence of God, the healing of God and an open invitation to experience the power of God.
“It’s a simple song … but yet so powerful,” said Clarke who is also known as the ‘Divine Lady’, and is the host of the Morning Glory Show on the Light 810 am at ZNS Northern Service in Grand Bahama.
“There are times when things get so rough that you don’t know the words to say when you pray – but you can just say simply, Lord, plead my cause. We need your healing. We want to feel you power. Pour out your spirit.”
Clarke said people just need to listen, as wherever his spirit is, the atmosphere is going to change, and their situation would experience his power.
“You will see God work things out in the supernatural that you’ve been trying to fight by yourself,” she said.
The song was inspired by the scripture Psalm 35 which indicates that God is the avenger of his people. It also features one of the country’s most anointed and premiere gospel groups, Shaback – whose crisp, clean, harmonies saturate the song with power.
The psalm says, “Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.”
Clarke said the premise here is that as a child of God, you are already in a war, however, you have the authority to fight back by inviting God into the ring. She said it’s a tag team through prayer, fasting and faith.
“I know that there are many Christians out there who are going through a Daniel experience. Out of all the good that you’re doing, people look at your good and try to find something that will destroy you, your reputation and your favour – but you’re only praying in the window like Daniel. Well, let’s make praying in the window against the law, then,” she said sarcastically.
She said Psalm 35 is an important read when it comes to scripture. She said that beckons the Lord to fight on your behalf, and as believers, people ought to know that they are never in a war.
“We have modern day Daniels living amongst us today. There are just some folks who are out there just to get you because you’re you and because of your anointing. You did nothing wrong. But they just keep beating you down because the anointing on your life is too heavy. They can’t stand the light. I always say, if my light is too bright, then put on some shades. We are commanded to let our light so shine before men so that the Father would be glorified. There is nothing that can put out God’s light. They can try, but they can’t put that out. Jealousy is a serious thing,” she said.
“As believers, it’s not always going to be a bed of roses all the time. We are in a war but this is one war, we don’t have to fight. This Psalm deems God our avenger – the one who will vindicate you and protect you, and won’t let the enemy get the best of you. And all you have to say is plead my cause,” she said.
Clarke said the message is clear and that prayer still changes things.
“Prayer is still a lifeline. Prayer still works. God wants us to bring everything that troubles us to Him,” she said. “It could be issues on the job, issues in your homes, health problems, financial problems … He wants us to know that the line of communication is always open. And He is the right one to talk to. He is the right one to give our business to. He is the only one who can fix the issue and fix it for good. So plead your cause before the Lord and trust in the Lord to deliver you. Go and read Psalm 35 and pray.”
Plead My Cause ( Psalm 35) can be found on major digital sites like iTunes, CDbaby, Tidal, Spotify and more.
