Glory To Thee, Eternal King

[Okrahomer]

I was a member of the BYU Concert Choir, many years ago; so I enjoy keeping up with them.  During one very recent restless night, I came across this piece and found myself completely overcome with a deep longing that was like "homesickness"--and yet, not quite the same.  It hasn't left me yet, so I must share it with you--whether you like it or not.   Notice that the words (shown below) are taken from two very early LDS hymnals.  The music is Mack Wilberg’s own wonderfully sensitive and uplifting composition.

 

 

When restless on my bed I lie,

Still courting sleep, which still will fly,

Then shall reflection's brighter power,

Illume the lone and midnight hour.

 

If hushed the breeze, and calm the tide,

Soft will the stream of mem'ry glide,

And all the past, a gentle train,

Waked by remembrance, live again.

 

If loud the wind, the tempest high,

And darkness wraps the sullen sky.

I muse on life's tempestuous sea,

And sigh, O Lord, to come to thee.

 

Tossed on the deep and swelling wave,

O mark my trembling soul, and save!

Give to my view that harbour near,

Where thou wilt chase each grief and fear.

 

Lord, let my soul forever share

The bliss of thy paternal care;

'Tis heaven on earth, 'tis heaven above, 

To see thy face, to sing thy love.

 

O when shall I, in endless day, 

Forever chase dark sleep away, 

And hymns divine with angels sing, 

Glory to thee, eternal King.

 

(When Restless on My Bed I Lie:  Lyrics by Baptist Noel, Copyright: Public Domain, from A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe, 1840 (https://www.hymnwiki.org/When_Restless_on_My_Bed_I_Lie; & Glory to Thee, My God, this Night:  Lyrics by Thomas Ken, from the LDS Kirtland Hymnal (http://www.losthymnsproject.com/14_Texts/Glory_to_Thee_My_God_this_Night.pdf) 

[Garden Girl]

Okrahomer!!  Who would have thought?!  See, the interesting things we find out about board members... 

GG

[bluebell]

I've had two moments of intense spiritual homesickness so far in my life and they are very memorable experiences.  One was when i was a young teenager and the other was when i was one of three people in the Palmyra temple celestial room.  I think of them often.

Very cool video Okrahomer.  

[Okrahomer]

52 minutes ago, Garden Girl said:

Okrahomer!!  Who would have thought?!  See, the interesting things we find out about board members... 

GG

I was a very mediocre baritone who treasured (still treasure) the opportunity to sing amongst all those terrific voices!

[Okrahomer]

56 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I've had two moments of intense spiritual homesickness so far in my life and they are very memorable experiences.  One was when i was a young teenager and the other was when i was one of three people in the Palmyra temple celestial room.  I think of them often.

Very cool video Okrahomer.  

C.S. Lewis talked a lot about spiritual longing too:

"Apparently, then, our lifelong nostalgia, our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we now feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen from the outside, is no mere neurotic fancy, but the truest index of our real situation. And to be at last summoned inside would be both glory and honour beyond all our merits and also the healing of that old ache.”

Edited April 27, 2017 by Okrahomer

[Duncan]

Can they sing "Amish Paradise" by none other than Weird Al Yankovic? I've never felt spiritual homesickness!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even know what that would feel like! I have felt homesick once and that was enough for me. I was 10 and was stuck on this bee farm for a week and got sick and all I could eat was oranges and peanut butter toast.  

[Okrahomer]

 

 

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

Can they sing "Amish Paradise" by none other than Weird Al Yankovic? I've never felt spiritual homesickness!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even know what that would feel like! I have felt homesick once and that was enough for me. I was 10 and was stuck on this bee farm for a week and got sick and all I could eat was oranges and peanut butter toast.  

I don't know if they're taking requests at the moment, Duncan, but I could submit yours and see what happens?   

"Spiritual homesickness" is an imperfect attempt to describe what defies description--words completely fail us.  I agree with Mfbukowski:  language cannot convey the experience; nevertheless, I will "say" that for me, the experience has everything to do with Love.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Okrahomer

[The Nehor]

On 4/27/2017 at 11:10 AM, bluebell said:

I've had two moments of intense spiritual homesickness so far in my life and they are very memorable experiences.  One was when i was a young teenager and the other was when i was one of three people in the Palmyra temple celestial room.  I think of them often.

Very cool video Okrahomer.  

I have had that feeling a few times. It is strange. In my case it was a painful longing but at the same time the longing itself was so sweet that I wished it would never end and that I could bask in it forever.