For my voice lessons my teacher asked me to choose one sacred song to sing. I was in a rush so I just looked through a website fast and chose "How Can I Keep from Singing?" because I've always thought it was pretty and I really can't keep myself from singing most of the time. Last minute I decided that I would rather sing a Christmas song for my sacred piece so I printed out a pretty version of "Silent Night" as well.
When I got to my lesson I told my teacher that I wanted to sing "Silent Night" instead and he told me that that would be fine, but that he still wanted me to sing "How Can I Keep from Singing?" as well. Then, we started going through it. I kept getting confused because the words were so different then I had heard them before. That made me start paying more attention to what I was actually singing. I noticed that it really was different and it was different in a very good way. After I was done singing my teacher was telling me how much he like that arrangement because it had gone back to the original words. He told me that at some point some folk artist had sung the song and changed the words so that Christ was no longer in it and now that's the version that most people sing. Because of this I wanted to go home and really read the words to the song I was singing and see what the actual story of it was. I had no idea what an effect it would have on me.
I realized that it was describing exactly how I feel! Below are the lyrics of the original version. Don't just skim them. READ them. Think of the powerful message that they tell.
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- My life flows on in endless song;
- Above earth's lamentation,
- I hear the sweet, tho' far-off hymn
- That hails a new creation;
- Thro' all the tumult and the strife
- I hear the music ringing;
- It finds an echo in my soul--
- How can I keep from singing?
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- What tho' my joys and comforts die?
- The Lord my Saviour liveth;
- What tho' 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 heaven and earth,
- How can I keep from singing?
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- I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;
- I see the blue above it;
- And day by day this pathway smooths,
- 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?
I almost feel like this song could have been written for me. How else could it say exactly the way I have been feeling. There are hard times, but when I am clinging to Christ I know I can make it. I know that because I am His all thing really are mine. I think the line that hit me the most powerfully is "And day by day this pathway smooths, Since first I learned to love it." Recently I have really felt this strongly. I have really felt this pathway to Christ and eternal life has smoothed since I have
learned to love it. At first this path is jarring and it seems to be full of dips, bumps, tree roots and stray rocks that almost give you a little bit of whip lash. But now it is much more smooth, not easy just more smooth. In fact sometimes it seems that it's turning into a huge hill that you can barely keep moving forward, but when you realize that this is the only way to what you want and that it in reality is the most rewarding, you love it. Then, when it gets harder it's not like it was before because you understand a little better the eternal perspective. It doesn't seem like there are so many dips and bumps because you have a different perspective now. You don't see those little things as bad anymore. They are wonderful because they are a part of the incredible path that you have chosen to take. When you know these things, really how can you keep from singing?! Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with the love of God that I can't help but share it with everyone around me. It's such an incredible truth and the warmth and love and satisfaction that comes from it is something that I want everyone to be able to experience.
I know that it wasn't by mistake that I sang this song. I know that it was a tender mercy of Heavenly Father to help me understand more fully the way I've been feeling. I am grateful for a teacher that wouldn't let me just sing a Christmas song. I am grateful that I have this incredible truth and light in my life. I know that this is the way to peace, happiness and love. So really, how can I keep from singing about it?
