Finlindia is one of my favorite pieces by Jean Sibelius. Recently I stumbled upon music from Finlindia on Youtube. As a child, I’d played some of his pieces on the piano.
Did you know that this particular piece became a popular hymn? Be Still My Soul was written by Katharine von Schlegel. According to the scant information I learned about her, she was Lutheran.
This particular song was said to be the favorite of the 1924 Olympic runner, Eric Liddel. What made him famous was his refusal too run on the Sabbath. The movie, Chariots of Fire, was made about this. When he was older he became a missionary to China. He was imprisoned, during World War II, and it’s said that he taught this song to others while in the prison camp. He never made it out alive. He died from a brain tumor.
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Lyrics: Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
Thanks for this! I learned a lot from it 🙂
Jennifer recently posted..It’s Madonna Week at Pop Culture PUNKS!
HI @Jennifer,
I haven’t seen that movie, Chariots of Fire, in years. If I remember correctly, my English teacher showed it to us our senior year. That was 1987. 😉