Music of Scripture

I Will Greatly Rejoice In The Lord; Knut Nystedt, composer

When the nine-hundred ninety-six voices of the 1980 South Dakota All-State Chorus made their first moments of music in Huron, South Dakota, they did so while singing “I Will Greatly Rejoice” composed by the Norwegian composer Knut Nystedt. The music has stuck in my head these thirty years. Mr. Nystedt gets his text from the book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-one, verses ten and eleven:

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,

For my soul shall exalt in my God;

For He has clothed me in the garments of salvation,

He has covered me in the robes of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the Earth brings forth its shoots,

And as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

To spring up before all the nations.

I don’t specifically remember hearing this passage of scripture during my young years in church, although I would imagine it was read in my hearing at some point, for it’s very beautiful. Ever since my All-State Chorus experience in 1980, whenever I hear this portion of scripture, in or out of church, … I hear music … in my head. The sentiment expressed by the prophet Isaiah will forever remain couched in melody and harmony. While the music swirls and echoes, the words hang in the air, bringing glory to God and peace to my soul.

Credits: To the other nine-hundred ninety-five voices of the 1980 South Dakota All-State Chorus. Thank you.