Lyrics:

1. Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;
Thou sendest blessings from above
Thru words and deeds of those who love.

2. What greater gift dost thou bestow,
What greater goodness can we know
Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

3. When such a friend from us departs,
We hold forever in our hearts
A sweet and hallowed memory,
Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

4. For worthy friends whose lives proclaim
Devotion to the Savior’s name,
Who bless our days with peace and love,
We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

Text: Karen Lynn Davidson, b. 1943. (c) 1985 IRI
Music: A. Laurence Lyon, 1934-2006. (c) 1985 IRI

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

Written By: Karen Lynn Davidson

Karen Lynn Davidson (born 1943) is a Latter-day Saint hymnwriter, author and literary critic. Davidson has written widely on the hymns of both The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and of the Community of Christ.

Davidson received her B.A. and M.A. from Brigham Young University. She then received her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. She did post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge and at the University of Chicago.

She had taught English at Brigham Young University and has been on the English faculty at the Mayfield Senior School.

Two hymns with texts by Davidson, “O, Savior Thou Who Wearest” and “Each Life That Touches Ours For Good”, are in the 1985 English-language edition of the LDS Church hymnal.

Davidson is currently working as a co-editor of one of the volumes in the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

Music By: A. Laurence Lyon

A. Laurence Lyon (1934–2006) was a prolific composer of music, usually sacred music with a Latter-day Saint theme. He also served for 30 years as a professor at Western Oregon University.

Lyon was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands where his father, T. Edgar Lyon was serving as president of the Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Lyon was first called as an organist for a congregation of the LDS Church when he was 16 years old. He served as a LDS Church missionary in the East German Mission, and organized and directed the choir from that mission that sang at the dedication of the Swiss Temple.

After his mission, Lyon received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music.

Lyon has been involved with the music for many LDS Church temple dedications. He wrote an arrangement of “The Morning Breaks” specifically for the dedication of the Oakland California Temple and directed choirs that performed at the dedications of the Portland Oregon Temple and the Seattle Washington Temple.

Two of Lyon’s works are included in the 1985 edition of the LDS Church hymnbook. They are “Each Life That Touches Ours For Good” and “Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah”.

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