How Can I Keep from Singing

On August 7, 1868, The New York Observer published a poem attributed to 'Pauline T." and entitled "Always Rejoicing." The poem beautifully recounted the authors reasoning that, since Jesus Christ was Lord of all, even in the brightest and darkest moments of her life, how could she keep from singing.

The next year, 1869, the words were published in the song book, Bright Jewels for the Sunday School. The accompanying music was composed by American Baptist minister and professor of literature, Robert Wadsworth Lowry (1826 -1899). Since that time, this haunting combination of words and music have frequently, and erroneously, been cited as a traditional Quaker hymn. This song has resonated with many and become quite popular, though it is not widely sung in congregational worship. Popular music performers have even recorded the song with some lyric variations.

  



My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:

Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:

No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

-

To learn more, visit these links.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/l/o/w/lowry_r.htm

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=32196&messages=46

http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/texts/singing.txt

-