God is Calling. Now What?

Israel, Israel, God is Calling - Hymn #7 - Richard Smyth


A question carried by implication throughout the song is "What do you do when a God calls?"  or "Israel, Israel, God is Calling.  What are you going to do about it?"

There is no doubting what the speaker wants the reader to do.  "Come to Zion.  Come to Zion" is repeated 8 times in these verses.  The poem wants a very specific action from its readers.

Smyth certainly knows about coming to Zion, since he was part of the physical migration of the Saints to their latter day promised land.

Zion Ho - Minerva Teichert

This hymn emphasizes and lends persuasive weight to that homeward summons with some powerful reasons.  They include:

• God is overthrowing Babylon, verse 1, lines 3-4
• God's anger will shortly flow, verse 1, line 8

• God speaks, and we can hear, verse 2, lines 1-2
• You can rejoice within the walls of Zion, verse 2, lines 6 & 8

• Celestial angels are giving you power so you can come home, verse 3, lines 1-4
• The Lord's coming is soon, verse 3, lines 6 & 8

• Judgment awaits those who delay coming (coming here seems synonymous with repenting) verse 4, lines 1-4
• Sounds of praise for God and those who came will resound in Zion, verse 4, lines 8

I remember many years ago some close family who had been estranged from the church came back.  Church policies had long before created a rift between them and the gospel.  I was riveted to their testimonies in the meeting where they talked about what it meant for them to be returning.  They'd met with missionaries, felt the Spirit of the Lord testifying to them of its truth, and now I listened to their testimonies with that same Spirit burning in my heart.  It was awesome, and those were the very words repeated so often by them to describe their return, Awesome.

Christ and the Children - Harry Anderson

With their return, children came who hadn't known the gospel in a consistent way, came to hear the voice of God, and felt the power of angels extended to bring them home.  It was truly an instance of Coming to Zion, and Coming Back to Zion.   They had answered the call.  

Hear Israel, Israel, God is Calling as sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Transitioning to Redemption

Redeemer of Israel, #6, William W. Phelps

A few years back I was hit by a pretty severe disease which, due to a late diagnosis, had its way with me for a long while before leaving me in pretty bad shape.

I remember nights where my wife and I would feel a deep desperation due to lack of answers and direction.  But as those moments invariably ended in very fervent prayers, we came to feel some of the power that comes from sincere pleadings before the Lord. We came to feel the strength that comes through the Atonement of the Savior.

"Redeemer of Israel, our only delight..."  There is a claim made in that first line, and cause for that claim that bares evaluating in our own songs.  Wouldn't we be right to delight in the God who redeems us?

Then the song progresses and becomes a prayer, "On whom for a blessing we call" (1-2 line).  This is just the first taste of a desperate yearning that saturates this hymn.  Do you feel the beginnings of that plea taking shape in the language?

The verse then includes allusions to historical instances of God delivering his people, Israel.  Then in the 2nd verse Phelps writes of anticipation for Christ's coming.  His question hits the reader and singer hard, "For why in the valley Of death should they weep Or in the lone wilderness rove" (lines 5-6)?

He Restoreth My Soul, Walter Rane (King David writing Psalms)

But this question becomes all the more poignant with the next wrenching verse.  Here the force of the plea is most fervent, most desperate:

How long we have wandered as strangers in sin And cried in the desert for thee! 

But since souls adrift in this world find anchorage in their belief and faith in God, so in fitting conclusion to that soul-wrenching line we find an outlook of hope and solace in the words, "Israel will shortly be free" (line 9)

If you look closely at this hymn, you realize every other verse is a direct prayer to God, which continues until in the final verse, that desperate prayer is answered.  That is a beautiful element of this powerful piece, and it gives hope and a promise to every pleading soul.  We can all find secure anchorage in Christ.

            Harry Anderson


Hear Redeemer of Israel sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

What makes the titans of the world look up?

#5 High on the Mountaintop Joel H. Johnson
Lofty words and elevated imagery seem to burst and skip off the tongue with this hymn's strong beat. It produces a rich and vibrant sound that has made it one of the longstanding classics in our Latter Day Saint Hymnal.

Interestingly enough, I know I more often hear this hymn's opening line mistakenly sung as a mountaintop, instead of "high on the mountaintop (line 1)." (that includes me :) But this is meant to be a specific place with a peculiar and wonderful role. Here is attracted the gaze of the entire world.

(Joel H. Johnson, author of text)

I live in view of the beautiful Bountiful Temple, which sits on the uppermost crest of the developed hillside east of our home. I see it as I look to see the sunrise, and its beautiful lights draw my gaze every night. This ever-present edifice is a powerful visual symbol for me. I remember the temple being built. Since its dedication it has become reverenced by me all the more since my wife and I were married for all eternity there.

Standing atop the Bountiful Temple, and every other temple of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the angel Moroni, heralding with a blast of his trumpet the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is a magnificent symbol of the standard of truth as penned by Joel Johnson in "High on the Mountaintop."

As we look at the world stage, what entities or powers could possibly loom larger than the governments of nations? These are the titans of this world, shaping and forming its past and future destinies. These are giants of world industries, technologies, militaries, and might.

(Gustave Dore)

Joel Johnson writes in this hymn of a power which in order to see, even the very titans of this world must look up. Set above the nations of the earth, heralded by truth's very standard, is Zion.

Hear High on the Mountaintop sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

Truth Still Eternal

Hymn #4 "Truth Eternal" - Parley P. Pratt
Do words age? Can ideas lose their freshness? Sometimes even the foundational, premise terminology of the gospel begins to sound old, even at times uninteresting. Has this happened to you before? Whether it's a lesson topic that provokes an inward (albeit undeserved) groan, or the song on the radio that cannot possibly be changed fast enough, we notice this deterioration occurring by how we view certain terms and concepts over time, depending on our experience and exposure to them.

Whatever my initial reaction, Parley P. Pratt wrote the words to the hymn "Truth Eternal" with obvious freshness. The text is full of straight ideas and a catching energy that becomes irresistible and liberating as the lyrics progress.



You'll notice that truth is addressed directly in this first verse, as if it were sentient. The following two verses move to describe that truth's impetus and impact. As we are only secondary audiences to this poem's beginning lines, detached in a way, we step back and observe the exchange between the author and truth. This beginning defines that truth for us, setting its parameters with signpost words like eternal, divine, and fulness, as we move inward. Further along we see a much more dramatic shape outlined before us. Take for instance the following line:

"Burst the fetters of the mind From the millions of mankind!"

Does the form of the poem here defy the descriptive cue in the hymnal's accompanying introductory phrase? You see, when I read that line above, it is difficult to do so "with dignity" rather than with the exclamation punctuating the line. The tone seems to invite a more volatile, or empassioned rendering than is indicated by the cue to sing "With dignity".

The second line is certainly more dignified, yet concludes again punctuated with an exclamation:

"Priests of heaven's royal line Bear the keys of truth divine!"

In fact the only full line not concluding with an exclamation is the softer finale, whose language is still imbued with a martial, triumphant spirit. Light chases misty night, and endless ages are clad in everlasting day. That the poem ends with such vibrant language and imagery, yet such subdued punctuation, is worth noting.

What might these cues in the text indicate about the nature of truth? That once the initial fetters have burst, and eternal truth holds sway in the mind and heart, then it is a softer, more gentle conclusion?



How wonderful to anticipate the gentle end to the climactic conflict rampant in a mortal sphere! Truth may burst the fetters of our mind with exclamatory power, but after its dramatic strivings comes a peace and serenity promised to those clad in the light of truth's everlasting day. That to me is a most appealing thought.

Hear the only recording I could find of  Truth Eternal sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

No Longer Strangers and Pilgrims On the Earth?

Hymn #3, Now Let Us Rejoice

“these all… confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”


Can you imagine that sensation, where this world is a foreign place to men and women who have lived their entire lives here? Can you imagine feeling like this is just an echo of the place you once called home?

We get this same sense of earthly disconnection as Nephi’s brother, Jacob, writes near the end of his life:

“the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers…”

Aside from being one of the most beautiful poetic lines in all scripture, can you imagine that feeling? Have you ever felt so poignantly the passage of time?

When I think about how quickly life has brought me from playing night games with friends around our family trampoline to seeing my own children make their first steps and conversations with me, it seems kind of like what Jacob described. Then when I think back on my two years as a missionary, I really relate to the feeling of time passing away like a dream. Often my journal is the only thing able to recall certain memories to my mind, though I wonder how I could have forgotten such things as I read them.

That brings us to William W. Phelps’ Now Let Us Rejoice. Beyond the tone of the first line, the second line is what really struck me initially. This line addresses that profound disconnect between our souls and this earth we inhabit, but does so by declaring its end.

“No longer as / strangers on earth need we roam” (1).

Considering the often nostalgic and somewhat languishing nature of our spirits, this becomes all the more striking as you continue to the end of the first verse. This is Christ’s future call for us to "Come home", and it's repeated at the end of the next verse. (6,12)

As I read those last two words, Come home, I felt tingles across my skin. That is a powerful sequence to a very powerful idea, especially considering how distant we sometimes feel from heaven. We long to Come home.



This is the thing that prophets long for, as evidenced by Alma the Younger's vision of God sitting upon His throne. Alma writes of the vision that "my soul did long to be there" (Alma 36:22). Then when Christ personally ministered among the Nephites, nine of His disciples chose exactly that as their greatest desire, to "speedily come unto [Him] in [His] kingdom" (3 Nephi 28:2). They were called Blessed for having desired this.

This hymn takes us through that process of return, and anticipation of return. We go from the vague "when" of the first two verses to a more dramatic, and prophetic "Then," where we see all the promises fulfilled to our imagination's eye.



The tone set by the first line is fitting for such a glorious, long-anticipated homecoming.

"Now Let Us Rejoice"

Hear Now Let Us Rejoice sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

The Spirit and Fire of God!

Hymn 2: The Spirit of God

The opening line of William W. Phelps’ The Spirit of God is also the hymn’s most relatable metaphor, and it guides our interaction with the piece. First lines of hymns are very important. For example, look at the tone this sets, The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.



Fire is a powerful image. Fire is dynamic, and as we have seen all over the world, spreads… well, like wildfire. It begins with a spark, catching twigs, leaves, grass, trees, houses, and anything else in its path. Fire doesn’t follow a set line, but like a ripple of water, spreads outward to wherever there is fuel to feed it. The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.

Think for a moment about that metaphor, and fire becomes a very appropriate image for the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God spreads wherever there is fuel to feed it, catching in the hearts and souls of men, women and children throughout the world. The Spirit of God is dynamic. It goes from a flickering warmth to a rousing elation, and seems to communicate directly with our own spirits.



In the mission field, as my companion and I strove for obedience and and to keep the Spirit of the Lord with us, we had an experience with a woman while out tracting that has stayed fresh in my mind since that time.
The woman was troubled, dealing with major health challenges in her family. When she saw who we were, she asked a heartwrenching question, "Does God even care about us anymore?"

I felt in that moment the Spirit of God like a fire in my heart as I bore testimony of our Heavenly Father's great love for her and each and every one of His precious children. I told her about Moses 1:39, how it is God's work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, or in other words, to bring us home safely.

After we testified, the woman said that she could see light coming from us, that we were bright. The Spirit of God became an almost literal fire in that moment, transmitting directly from spirit to spirit as we testified of God's constant love. And for that woman, it manifested itself not only spiritually, but to her eyes, to one of her physical senses.




This is an exciting hymn. Each phrase enacts the first line's image with rousing, exultant language that relays the Spirit of God to our own souls like a burning fire. Is it any wonder this is still one of our most beloved hymns? The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.


Hear The Spirit of God sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

Morning Breaks: Atonement and Triumph

Have you ever felt the light of the gospel break upon your soul?

Baptism is often such a time. I remember my own baptism vividly, and gifts certainly occupied my thoughts, but not the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Instead I remember vividly the nice baptism book which each of my older brothers had received from an aunt. I had looked forward to receiving it for years. Then there was my so sweet grandmother who came with a new VHS movie as a gift, and in my 8 year old audacity I said, “But grandma, I already have this.” I still cringe thinking of that moment’s ingratitude. My point is that while I can remember these moments, I remember nothing of a remission of sins, or a spiritual rebirth from my baptism, or a Gift of the Holy Ghost. Not until High School would I marvel at the light of Christ’s atonement breaking through my own personal darkness through repentance. It was a poignant and almost physical sensation of clearing spiritual vision.

Parley P. Pratt's The Morning Breaks

With militaristic charge, The Morning Breaks exults triumphantly in a breaking dawn, much like electricity running a through a length of wire to a light overhead. Furthermore, this dawn is no gentle occurrence, but a breaking and unfurling light whose mighty arm sets the shadows to flee, and dispels the clouds of error from a long and dark night of apostasy.

Whenever we draw on the precious atoning sacrifice of the Son of God to any degree, we have triumphant moments such as are described by this hymn, where darkening clouds of personal apostasy are shattered by the morning sun upon our souls. Alma the Younger felt the gospel break upon his soul and exulted in that freedom and light, saying “oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! (Alma 36:20).”




This is a restoration hymn, lauding the glorious return of Christ's church to the earth in fulness, but it is also the anthem of every soul's one-time absence and glorious return to light and truth through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

So let's leave off on a new question. Have you recently felt the light of the gospel break upon your soul?


Hear The Morning Breaks sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!