47. The Song of the Righteous

A talk I gave on Sunday morning, April 26, 1981, on radio stations KISN–FM and KLUB–AM in Salt Lake City, Utah. The text of the address was later published in the May 1981 issue of the Family Journal and the June 1981 issue of the Cleverly Newsletter.

The Savior of mankind, that perfect Being Who is our example and teacher in all things, taught that “men ought always to pray” (Luke 18:1).

“And in those days” following His resurrection and ascension into heaven, “when the number of disciples was multiplied, . . . the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said,” among other things, “we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:1–4).

When I was a boy I used to wonder about such instruction. How do you pray always? How do you give yourself continually to prayer when there is so much else to be doing in the day-to-day world of gaining an education, earning a living, caring for a family, and the myriads of other things with which we occupy ourselves?

As I searched for an answer, it became obvious from other scriptures that there were right ways and wrong ways of praying always:

“And when thou prayest,” the Savior said, “thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which is in secret shall reward thee openly.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

“Be not ye therefore like unto them” (Matthew 6:5–8).

I learned from this passage that “praying always” has little to do with vain repetitions or much speaking or a multiplicity of words. Indeed, the Savior used very few words to teach His disciples how to pray:

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

“Give us this day our daily bread.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9–13).

From this divine model of prayer, I think we learn that “praying always” has somewhat to do with our attitudes and our reverence for God and all that is sacred. It has to do with the way we live our lives.

But, from still other scriptures, I found that there are ways to keep our thoughts and hearts continually centered in Him who is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The Apostle Paul taught the Saints of his day “to be filled with the Spirit;

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18–20).

And in another place: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

And the Lord Himself speaking: “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 on their heads” (D&C 25:12).

So here we have a key, I think, to one way that we can pray always. The song of the righteous, by the Lord’s own definition, is a prayer unto God. We can speak to ourselves “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [our] heart[s] to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

Who of us is not moved, inspired, instructed, strengthened in our faith, brought closer to God by the great hymns of Christianity?

Some of the hymns and sacred songs remind us of our daily duty:

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad,
And made someone feel glad?
If not I have failed indeed.

And this one:

Do what is right; be faithful and fearless;
Onward, press onward, the goal is in sight;
Eyes that are wet now, ere long will be tearless;
Blessings await you in doing what’s right!

Other hymns remind us of important truths about the gospel, about ourselves, and about our relationship to God, such as in the ever-popular children’s song:

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

Among my favorites, however, are those hymns that focus my thoughts on Jesus Christ, that bring me in closer communion with Him, that increase my appreciation for what He has done for me:

Redeemer of Israel,
Our only delight,
On whom for a blessing we call,
Our shadow by day,
And our pillar by night,
Our King, our Deliverer, our all!

Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

Praise him for his mercy;
Praise him for his love;
For unnumbered blessings
Praise the Lord above.
Let our happy voices
Still the notes prolong;
One alone is worthy
Of our sweetest song.

Or what comfort from these marvelous promises:

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

And these promises:

How gentle God’s commands!
How kind his precepts are!
Come, cast your burden on the Lord
And trust his constant care.

Beneath his watchful eye,
His saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard his children well.

Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your heavenly Father’s throne,
And sweet refreshment find.

His goodness stands approved,
Unchanged from day to day;
I’ll drop my burden at his feet
And bear a song away.

Consider also the profound message and the simple beauty in the words of this great hymn:

How great the wisdom and the love
That filled the courts on high
And sent the Savior from above
To suffer, bleed, and die!

His precious blood he freely spilt;
His life he freely gave,
A sinless sacrifice for guilt,
A dying world to save.

By strict obedience Jesus won
The prize with glory rife:
“Thy will, O God, not mine be done,”
Adorned his mortal life.

He marked the path and led the way,
And every point defines
To light and life and endless day
Where God’s full presence shines.

How great, how glorious, how complete,
Redemption’s grand design,
Where justice, love, and mercy meet
In harmony divine!

There are many other great hymns. Let me conclude with just a final one—a hymn that is loved by many people:

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin;

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee;
How great thou art, how great thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!

Yes, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto God. We need not be musicians. We need not even know how to carry a tune particularly. But, as we go about our daily affairs, we can have the words in our minds, we can have the songs in our hearts and thus be found praying always.

May that be our happy lot, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.