January - How Can I Keep from Singing?
As a church, we will be utilizing a program Ghetty Music who offer a Hymn of the month. Here is their link if you desire to read more from the Getty's themselves: https://www.gettymusic.com/fhotm-january-23
Lyrics
My life flows on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear that music ringing
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
While though my joys and comforts die
I know my Savior liveth
While though the darkness gather round
Songs in the night He giveth
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge, clinging
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes, the cloud grows thin
I see the blue above it
And, day by day, this pathway smooths
Since, first, I learned to love it
The peace of Christ makes fresh, my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine, since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
The peace of Christ makes fresh, my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine, since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
January Bible Memory Verse
Psalms 63:7 ESV
“For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”
Story Behind the Hymn
The words were first printed in a newspaper in 1869 but this hymn was first published with music in a hymnal called ‘Bright Jewels for the Sunday School’ later that same year. The hymnal was edited by the preacher/hymn writer Robert Lowry. He wrote the melody of this particular song but nobody is quite certain where the words came from. Ira Sanky published his own setting of the words in 1878 and he wrote that the words were anonymous.
Robert Lowry wrote over 500 hymns; sometimes melodies, sometimes lyrics, sometimes both. He was born in Philadelphia on March 12th, 1826. His father was an immigrant from Northern Ireland (like us!). Although his greatest focus was on preaching the Bible, he is probably most known for his hymn-writing — which is of course a wonderful, memorable way to share the Word of God!
You may know some of the other hymns he wrote, like “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” and “Shall We Gather at the River.” He also edited more than 20 hymnals in his lifetime! He died in 1899 and someone writing about his life wrote:
"His melodies and songs were but the expression of the man’s heart and his character, and they attracted all to him.”
“How Can I Keep From Singing” is a song about songs and singing so singers love to sing it! Although it was first known as a Christian hymn it also became famous as an American folk song. It has been sung by famous folk singers like Enya and Pete Seeger, though they changed or added to the words. For example, Enya pulled out the lyrics about Christ to make it less Christian. While her version is very beautiful it is also a bit sad and empty as it is only through Christ that we find the hope the song speaks about!
Prayer
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for the song of salvation and how it goes on and on forever! Thank You that it is our hope in the darkest night and the brightest day. May we remember this. Thank You that it follows us all the days of our life and lifts our eyes to You.
Please keep our hearts up, trusting You above all else. Give us voices to sing of Your goodness and mercy as we share this with others who are weighed down with the troubles of this life
In Jesus name,
Amen
Definitions
Editor - someone who takes written pieces and reshapes and reorders what has been written to finish them for printing. An editor of a hymnal will gather and choose different hymns and arrange them in order and style to go into that hymnal.
Publisher - a person or often a group of people who take finished songs or books and make them known to people by printing and telling others about them.
Anonymous - no name attached to a piece of work, the writer is not known.