For my Soul Delighteth in the Song of the Heart
The Bible is filled with stories that exemplify the miraculous, from David and Goliath to Moses parting the Red Sea. The lessons learned from these stories are many, and quite often shape the choices of our lives. But the story that I believe is one of the most miraculous is a story that very few have ever heard of. It is the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20.
King Jehoshaphat was a righteous King who loved his people. One day, he was told that the armies of three great people, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites were coming to wage war on his kingdom. King Jehoshaphat did not know how to save his kingdom, so he invited all his people, men women and children, to fast for the Lord’s help.
As they were fasting, a prophet rose up among them and told them that it was not their battle to fight, that is was God’s battle, and if they just had the courage to face their enemy, God would deliver them. The entire kingdom praised God and thanked Him.
The next morning, Jehoshaphat and his army began the long march to their enemies. They carried no weapons of war. Jehoshaphat was inspired by the Lord to find the best singers among his people and put them at the front of the army. As they were marching, the singers began singing praises to God, and when they did, the power of God came upon their enemies and they destroyed one another, until none of their enemies were left standing. Not one member of Jehoshaphat’s army was hurt. His entire army and kingdom were saved by the power of their voice.
The magnificent lesson we can learn from this Bible story is that music and praise, song and voice, is a powerful weapon against our enemies, both seen and unseen. Elder Packer, in his talk, Inspiring Music, Worthy Thoughts taught that music is light, and that light dispels the darkness. He said, “While virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, sin cannot tolerate the presence of light”. Elder Packer stated that if we memorize our favorite hymns, and sing them when temptation comes, they have the power to help us resist temptation. This very idea is repeated in the Preface to our current Hymn book written by the First Presidency.
There is power in music. It can lift us to a higher place of safety and peace, if we allow it. It was David’s harp that cast out the devils that tormented Solomon. Singing all day and all night carried the Brother of Jared and his family across the great deep. And it was a Hosanna Shout that brought down the walls of Jericho. Music is light and light dispels darkness.
Let me share with you just how powerful music can be. I am a homeschooling mother of five. I am with my children 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can imagine the contention that can come when we are around each other all the time. When I started playing hymns daily in our home, it changed our life. The spirit of contention was gone, and in its place, a Spirit of peace. It raised the feeling in our home from one of negativity to one of love. It is amazing the difference that simply playing hymns can create. It is an untapped power that God has given us that we need to more fully take advantage of. What good is a gift if we don’t use it. Music is a true gift from God.
The Savior Himself, had this to say about music, “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. –Doctrine and Covenants 25:12. His soul “delights” in the song sung from the heart. Imagine how he must delight in the praises we sing to Him. Not only does the Lord’s soul delight in songs, but he declared that the song of the righteous is a prayer and will be answered with a blessing on the heads of those who sing it. What an incredible promise that every righteous song we sing will be answered with a blessing bestowed upon us.
“The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.” Over 50 times in scripture we are told to pray always that we may overcome Satan at the last day. Because a song of the righteous is a prayer, singing and playing hymns in our homes, allows us to always send prayers up to our Heavenly Father, keeping our home in a place of safety and peace. Just as Jehoshaphat’s singers took down three armies, your music and singing can help you fight the wicked one who strives daily to snatch your light and ensnare your soul. Just like David and the Brother of Jared, your songs can cast out devils and carry you through the dark abyss of the unknown to the promised land.
I have always loved writing poetry, and since I have learned that a song of the righteous is a prayer, I have begun to put my own prayers to familiar hymn tunes so that I may sing them to my Heavenly Father throughout the day and request specific blessings that I seek. For example, I wrote a hymn for my young daughter who has nightmares at night. I wanted to write words that would help her to visualize the Savior standing next to her so she could feel His love and His arms wrapped around her. I wanted something that would help her to let go of her fear and help her live in a place of love. These are the words, and they are sung to one of her favorite tunes, “Love One Another”.
I’ve always loved you
Love flows around you
When in the darkness
My light surrounds you
Let all your fears go
Love will let your light show
Walk in the light
Love one another
This is essentially my prayer for her, that she will hear the voice of the Savior and feel His love for her. That she will invite the Savior into her space and help her live in a place of love. That is what this prayer put to music does for her. It is a prayer for all of God’s children, both young and old. President J. Reuben Clark Jr. said, “We get nearer to the Lord through music than perhaps any other thing except prayer.” The hymns that I write are prayers for my children and all of God’s children, to help them to get nearer to the Lord.
This is a prayer that I have had all my life, to bring my children to the Savior. When I was a recently returned missionary attending Rick’s College, now BYU-I, there was a story in the school newspaper about my poetry writing. Even then, I knew my purpose for writing even though I was not yet a mother, “Through my poetry I want my children to know that God lives.” I was quoted as saying. “I want to lead my children home. I want to take them home with me.” Eighteen years later, my poetry will once again be heard on BYU-Idaho’s campus, and this time, my words will be put to music. As part of the 2017 BYU-I Hymn Festival, one of my poems has been selected to be performed as a sacred hymn. The hymn is fittingly titled, “Song of the Heart”. When I return to my alma mater in February to hear my new hymn, I will be bringing my husband and five children with me. The desire I had as a young returned missionary will come full circle. My words, put to music will stand as a testimony to my children that God lives and that He loves them.
I know from my own experiences the power that music has to dispel darkness. I testify that our hymns are prayers put to music and we can grow closer to our Heavenly Father through pondering and singing them often. I challenge all of us to gain a greater testimony of the power of music. Play them in your home, listen to them in your car, sing them to your children, and ponder them in your heart. I promise if we do, we will call down the powers of heaven and be in the company of angels. Just like the angels that Lehi saw surrounding the throne of God, we will be forever in the attitude of singing and praising our God.
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