For our monthly Sunday thought, I wanted to share a hymn that I delight in, every time Colton plays it on the piano. It is called ‘Lord, Dismiss us with thy Blessing’. For me, the significance of this song is not only connected to the lyrics, but to the sound of the notes being played, that resonate throughout the house. The feeling behind hearing the piano playing through our evenings together. This last week I was sitting in the kitchen, on and off helping Tami cook, and Colton started playing the piano in the other room. I remember thinking how wonderful it is that my husband and sister-wife play such an amazingly beautiful instrument, that I get to be blessed with the uplifting music throughout our everyday life. I like to rejoice in the little things throughout my life, and this is definitely one of them. I love to sit and listen to Tami and Colton play hymns, and beautiful pieces of their favorite music. I would say these experiences are one of the blessings of plural marriage. I never was able to learn to play the piano, but I still get to be blessed with listening to it.
Here are the lyrics of this hymn:
‘Lord, Dismiss us with thy Blessing’
1. Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing;Fill our hearts with joy and peace.Let us each, thy love possessing,Triumph in redeeming grace.Oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us,Trav’ling thru this wilderness.Oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us,Trav’ling thru this wilderness.
2. Thanks we give and adorationFor the gospel’s joyful sound.May the fruits of thy salvationIn our hearts and lives abound.Ever faithful, ever faithfulTo the truth may we be found.Ever faithful, ever faithfulTo the truth may we be found.Text: John Fawcett, 1740–1817
Music: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712–1778
This hymn has developed special meaning for us over the past year. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, the music is uncomplicated and flows smoothly. By all accounts, it’s not considered a particularly extraordinary hymn by most people who are acquainted with it. For us as a family, however, the blessings requested in this hymn serve not only as a benediction, but as a very literal prayer to our Father in Heaven. In this simple hymn, we ask the Lord for blessings and give thanks for the greatest blessing in our lives. The Lord revealed to Emma Smith that “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” We don’t profess to necessarily be any more righteous than anyone else around us, but we certainly strive for righteousness and have faith that God will recognize our efforts, especially as we labor to do our small part in keeping the fullness of His gospel alive in the spiritual wilderness that fullness has been relegated to. We hope and pray that the good Lord will continue to refresh and bless us as we travel through this wilderness. We have faith and believe that the fruits of his salvation will abound in our hearts and lives. We hope that you all will have a blessed and peaceful Sunday.
