Be Still, My Soul

Representative Text

1 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.

2 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.

3 Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart,
and all is darkened in the veil 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.

4 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.

Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #400

Author: Kathrina von Schlegel

Schlegel, Catharina Amalia Dorothea von. Little is known of this lady. According to Koch, iv., p. 442, she was born Oct. 22, 1697, and was "Stiftsfräulein" in the Evangelical Lutheran Stift (i.e. Protestant nunnery) at Cöthen. On applying to Cöthen, however, her name did not occur in the books of the Stift; and from the correspondence which she carried on, in 1750-52, with Heinrich Ernst, Count Stolberg, it would rather seem that she was a lady attached to the little ducal court at Cöthen. (manuscript from Dr. Eduard Jacobs, Wernigerode, &c.) Further details of her life it has been impossible to obtain. The only one of her hymns which has passed into English is:— Stille, mein Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen. Cross and Consolation.… Go to person page >

Translator: Jane Borthwick

Miss Jane Borthwick, the translator of this hymn and many others, is of Scottish family. Her sister (Mrs. Eric Findlater) and herself edited "Hymns from the Land of Luther" (1854). She also wrote "Thoughts for Thoughtful Hours (1859), and has contributed numerous poetical pieces to the "Family Treasury," under the signature "H.L.L." --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side
Title: Be Still, My Soul
German Title: Stille, mein Wille; dein Jesus hilft siegen
Translator: Jane Borthwick (1855)
Author: Kathrina von Schlegel (1752)
Meter: 10.10.10.10.10.10
Language: English
Notes: Spanish translation: See "Reposa mi alma, Dios contigo está" by Marjorie Caudill and Federico Pagura
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

FINLANDIA

In 1899 Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (b. Hameenlina, Tavastehus, Finland, 1865; Jarvenpaa, near Helsingfors, Finland, 1957) wrote a musical score for six historical tableaux in a pageant that celebrated and supported the Finnish press against Russian oppression. In 1900 Sibelius revised the music…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 75 of 75)
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African American Heritage Hymnal #135

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African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #426

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Ancient and Modern #594

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #63

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Baptist Hymnal 2008 #514

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Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #675

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Celebrating Grace Hymnal #57

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Chalice Hymnal #566

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Christian Worship (1993) #415

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Christian Worship #847

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #676

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #666

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Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #691

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Common Praise #384

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Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #68

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CPWI Hymnal #408

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Glory and Praise (3rd. ed.) #419

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Glory to God #819

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #547

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Hymns for a Pilgrim People #389

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Hymns of Faith #411

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Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #691

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Hymns of Promise #97

Hymns of the Christian Life #309

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Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints #124

Hymns of Truth & Light #95

Hymns Old and New #54

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Hymns to the Living God #308

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Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #575

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #547

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Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #778

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Lutheran Service Book #752

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Lutheran Worship #510

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Moravian Book of Worship #757

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New English Praise #625

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One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #474

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Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #41

Praise y Adoración #80a

Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #334

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Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #400

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #373

Rejoice Hymns #528

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Rejoice in the Lord #154

Santo, Santo, Santo #330

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Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #461

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Sing Joyfully #457

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Small Church Music #33

Songs of Faith and Praise #689

Soul-stirring Songs and Hymns (Rev. ed.) #112

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The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #458

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The Book of Praise #749

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The Celebration Hymnal #712

The Christian Life Hymnal #364

The Covenant Hymnal #455

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The Cyber Hymnal #478

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The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #347

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The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #79

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The New Century Hymnal #488

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The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition) #263

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The United Methodist Hymnal #534

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The United Methodist Hymnal #746

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The Worshiping Church #530

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Timeless Truths #68

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Together in Song #123

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Total Praise #131

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Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #689

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Trinity Psalter Hymnal #532

Ukulele Hymns #4

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Voices Together #664

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Voices United #652

Voices United #734

Voices United #854a

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Worship and Rejoice #451

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Yes, Lord! #96

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #307

Include 106 pre-1979 instances
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