I have been told that some of my scripture songs sound like folk songs.  Could this be why I was drawn to this Finnish folk tune?  I believe that singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are an important part of worshipping God.  It is so easy to neglect singing praises to God.  Songs from the world fill our minds and burst forth from our lips, but they only praise the world.  God deserves our highest praise throughout the day.

Singing is also a weapon of warfare against the dark forces that would cause us to be depressed, weak, and powerless to fight in prayer.  I decided to take my Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal and start at the beginning and sing all the songs.  I found many old favorites.  There were some new songs that I liked and some songs that I didn’t like.  When I got to page 38, I found Arise, My Soul, Arise!  The hymnal says it was written by Johan Kahl (1721-1746) and Translated by Ernest Ryden (1886-1981).  I appreciate the translation.  There is no timing given.  It is mostly 4/4 time, but there are some measures that are 6/4 time, so it is classed as irregular.

I fell in love with this song as soon as I plucked out the melody on my piano phone app.  I stopped learning new songs.  I wanted to memorize this one so I could praise God as I was out in nature and let my soul arise too.  One beautiful cloudy day, I was singing the song and got the idea to sing it while I videoed the sky.  In the following video, I had to look up while I sang and videoed.  It felt awkward to sing that way and I hadn’t really warmed up.  It was basically impromptu praise.

A search on the author of this beautiful song revealed the following: Johan Kahl was born 26 June 1721 in Visby, the capital of Gothland island. He worked as a chamber clerk. After moving to Stockholm he drowned in a boat voyage to Sandholm on 9 September 1746. Kahl was a pietist. About 50 of his hymns can be found in Songs of Sion.  

That is so amazing!  He died when he was only 25 and had already written 50 hymns.  What a loss.  Here are the beautiful words to this hymn.  

1. ARISE MY SOUL ARISE… STRETCH FORTH TO THINGS ETERNAL.
AND HASTEN TO THE FEET OF OUR REDEEMER GOD.
THOUGH HID FROM MORTAL EYES, HE DWELLS IN LIGHT SUPERNAL.
YET WORSHIP HIM IN HUMBLENESS AND CALL HIM LORD.
HIS BANQUET OF LOVE AWAITS US ABOVE;
YET HERE HE GRANTS A FORETASTE OF THE FEAST TO COME.
REJOICE, MY SOUL, REJOICE: TO HEAV’N LIFT UP YOUR VOICE:
ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!
2. NOW HEAR THE HARPS OF HEAV’N! OH, HEAR THE SONG VICTORIOUS.
THE NEVER-ENDING ANTHEM SOUNDING THROUGH THE SKY!
TO MORTALS IS NOT GIV’N TO JOIN IN STRAINS SO GLORIOUS:
YET HERE ON EARTH WE TOO CAN SING OUR PRAISES HIGH!
HE BOUGHT WITH HIS BLOOD THE RANSOMED OF GOD;
TO HIM BE EVER-LASTING POW’R AND VICTORY.
AND LET THE GREAT AMEN, RESOUND THROUGH HEAV’N AGAIN:
ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!

The SDA Hymnal says, “hasten to the feet of your Redeemer God,” so I didn’t change the words.  In the first video, I must admit that I didn’t always sing the song with perfect timing as written.  The more I sing it, the more the song evolves into something even more beautiful.  In the next video, I used 3 different videos to combine into one through editing.  I found out that in the first one that I shot, I was really going off-key, so I only used it early on for the sky shot.  My editing software was acting up, so there are about 3 glitches.  Please excuse them and be blessed by seeing a little of me in this one. 

It is such an honor to make content for you to read and watch.   It takes a lot of my time.   That is how content creators give.  You can also give by reading the content and commenting.  You can also be a blessing by subscribing to this blog.  Watch the entire video.  Another way to bless me would be for you to click on the button to go to see the video on YouTube.  You can subscribe, like, and share the video so that others can be blessed.