Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Hello! This week I created a vocal arrangement of the old Christian hymn, Jesus, Lover of My Soul, which is one of the suggested songs for this week’s Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson. I pushed myself on the speed of the left hand notes for the instrumental section and last verse of the song. It took some practice for me to get it up to speed and I had to record it multiple times to get it right. I never know what I am going to do with a hymn when I first look at it. I just start playing around with it and eventually come up with something. It takes some effort! ha ha.

Here is some information about the writer of this hymn:

• Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. (England)
• In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King’s Scholar, and as such received his board and education free.
• As a hymn-writer Charles Wesley was unique. He is said to have written no less than 6500 hymns, and though, of course, in so vast a number some are of unequal merit, it is perfectly marvelous how many there are which rise to the highest degree of excellence. His feelings on every occasion of importance, whether private or public, found their best expression in a hymn.

You can find multiple tunes for this hymn. The composer of the music for this setting was Joseph Perry Holbrook. There seemed to be much less information about him, than Charles Wesley, but he was born in the United States in 1822 and died in 1888. He was a hymn composer and some of his tunes include Bible Song, Bishop, Clinton, Miriam, and Refuge, the latter being used as an alternate tune for “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul”.

Here are a few verses from this lesson that support the theme of the hymn!

Alma 26

• 5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.
• 6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.
• 7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.
• 8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever.
• 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

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Media sources: Nature footage donated by Steve Pierce and Brad Leishman.

*Reach out if you would like the sheet music for any of the arrangements I don’t have sheet music for yet and I will transcribe and post them. You can find the songs I already have sheet music for here: http://marileekaymusic.com/sheet-music/

Composers: Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–1788 Music: Joseph P. Holbrook, 1822–1888

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