MM: Scriptures in Music

Originally posted 25 September 2006

I'm actually focusing on two this week. One is a hymn from our hymn book and the other is a song from The Children's Songbook. I've heard them sung as a medley but I can't find it online to link to.


In Moroni:

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btruth of all things.

To borrow a line from a favorite LDS play of mine that follows a character's oral reading of the above verses, he ponders out loud: "Ye may know the truth."


Search, Ponder, and Pray is the song from the Children's Songbook. I think it's a beautiful piece instrumentally but when you hear the sweet, innocent voices of children singing...

1. I love to read the holy scriptures,
And, ev’ry time I do,
I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart—
A testimony that they’re true.

2. So, prayerfully I’ll read the scriptures
Each day my whole life through.
I’ll come to understand.
I’ll heed the Lord’s command
And live as he would have me do.

ChorusSearch, ponder, and pray
Are the things that I must do.
The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,
I’ll know the scriptures are true.

Words: Jaclyn Thomas Milne, b. 1949. © 1986 IRI

Music: Carol Baker Black, b. 1951. © 1986 IRI

The second one is called As I Search the Holy Scriptures.

1. As I search the holy scriptures,
Loving Father of mankind,
May my heart be blessed with wisdom,
And may knowledge fill my mind.

2. As I search the holy scriptures,
Touch my spirit, Lord, I pray.
May life’s myst’ries be unfolded
As I study day by day.

3. As I search the holy scriptures,
May thy mercy be revealed.
Soothe my troubled heart and spirit;
May my unseen wounds be healed.

4. As I search the holy scriptures,
Help me ponder and obey.
In thy word is life eternal;
May thy light show me the way.

Text and music: C. Marianne Johnson Fisher, b. 1932. © 1985 IRI

Let me reiterate:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btruth of all things.

YE MAY KNOW THE TRUTH.

MM: A Poor Wayfaring Man

 Originally posted 12 September 2006  on Sister Snoopy

I have always loved music. It has soothed my wounded soul many a time. When I was in high school, I would often pound out pieces from Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise, Sonata in G. They weren't music. They were therapy--and it worked, for the most part.

In the years since, I've taken to playing LDS Hymns as a method of therapy. Many of them are beautiful pieces on their own without the words. Some you may recognize from your own hymnbooks.

The one I've chosen today is one of my all-time favorites, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," written by James Montgomery. (There is a "Play" button in the upper left-hand corner if you want to hear it.) This one, in particular, plays like an instrumental piece even though the words themselves are as a story. My favorite verses are the last three, most especially the last one (verse seven):

Stripped, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment—he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, “I will!”

Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in His hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name He named,
“Of Me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto Me."

I get goosebumps every time I sing or even play this hymn. I didn't know until today, though, that this is not an LDS hymn, even though it was a favorite of Joseph Smith, sung the day he died in an effort to soothe his soul.

Why Musical Monday Musings?

I've been trying to figure out what I can do with my life--it's been a challenge recently.  I've always loved to write and have felt impressed to write.  When I ponder what to write, the answer would come back:

"Write what you know."

Um, okay.  What do I know?  I "know" a few things.  I know about sorrow, depression, loss, anxiety, rejection, abandonment, anger.  But I didn't want to write about those things.  I'm trying to break free.  I used to want to write about a "great American love story".  I had the main characters, I had a general plot line.  But I didn't want to go there anymore.  Reality intruded.

Then last week as I was sitting in the Celestial Room of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple a thought clear as day came to me.

Several years ago, on my original blog, Sister Snoopy, I created a "Musical Monday" meme where I posted songs and LDS hymns that are important to me.   I love music.  I love to sing, listen, and even play music on the piano.  I "know" music.  Well, I mean, I have opinions about music.  I've had experiences with different songs and hymns.  I know how to write and I can share.

This (new) blog is the result of that thought. It is a culmination and continuation of that idea--only it will be specifically related to music--of all kinds that are important to me.  I intend to migrate the many entries I have from Sister Snoopy here and add new ones on a weekly basis.  I will keep the original ones in their place on the other blog as well.

I'm writing this more for me than anyone, though I do hope someone out there enjoys my offerings.