We welcome songwriter Nathan Copeland to Reformed Praise and are proud to offer his version of Be Still, My Soul! This beloved song has been a staple of worship for generations of Christians. These comforting lyrics describe the believer’s desire to command their soul, as it were, to rest and trust in God. The phrase “be still,” probably comes from Mark 4:30, where Jesus commands the wind and sea to be still, an act that brought His disciples to acknowledge Him as Lord and worship Him. In like manner, we want Jesus to command our souls to be still from grief, pain, fear of the future, and the death of loved ones. In the fourth verse, we realize that our soul will ultimately be still when we leave behind this sinful, grief-filled world for our heavenly home. The things described in verses 1-3 that cause our soul to be “unstill” are proclaimed to be “gone”, “forgot”, and “past”.
Lyrics
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul.
© 2005 Hymnicity