Be Still My Soul

Be Still My Soul

What is is about 4:00 in the morning that my mind likes so much, anyway? Again this morning, I was awake and thinking about everything I had to do today, and worrying about many things. (Ugh. I hate to admit that.) But while lying there, I realized that I knew which hymn I wanted to paint for the second challenge painting. (I am joining a challenge with Leslie Saeta and many other artists this month. You can see other paintings here.) Be Still My Soul is a hymn with music by Sibelius (part of his work called Finlandia) and beautiful lyrics.

SOLD
8" x 10"
Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on canvas
Ready to frame

Click here to view on my website. 

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 heav’nly 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: the hour is hast’ning 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 blessed we shall meet at last.

Part of what makes me like this particular hymn so much is that the music seems to be saying the same thing the lyrics are saying. I love the quiet, brooding beginning that builds to a climactic declaration, then to peace again at the end. And that is the same thing that I hoped to represent with this painting. I want to feel the brooding, the wrestling, and the peace in spite of difficulty when I paint, and when I look at the painting. 

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.