Lyrics:

1. Praise ye the Lord! My heart shall join
In work so pleasant, so divine,
Now, while the flesh is my abode,
And when my soul ascends to God.

2. Praise shall employ my noblest pow’rs
While immortality endures;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
While life and thought and being last.

3. Why should I make a man my trust?
Princes must die and turn to dust.
Their breath departs; their pomp and pow’r
And thoughts all vanish in an hour.

4. Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel’s God! He made the sky
And earth and seas with all their train,
And none shall find his promise vain.

5. His truth forever stands secure.
He saves th’oppressed; he feeds the poor;
He sends the troubled conscience peace
And grants the captive sweet release.

6. The Lord gives eyesight to the blind;
The Lord supports the sinking mind.
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow, and the fatherless.

7. He loves the Saints–he knows them well–
But turns the wicked down to hell.
Thy God, O Zion, ever reigns;
Praise him in everlasting strains.

Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748; based on Psalms 146
Music: Evan Stephens, 1854-1930

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

Written By: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748), was an English hymn-writer, theologian and logician. He was recognised as the “Father of English Hymnody“, as he was the first prolific and popular English hymnwriter, credited with some 750 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in active use today and have been translated into many languages.

Some of Watts’ hymns are:

• Joy to the world! (arranged by Lowell Mason to an older melody originating from Handel)
• Come ye that love the Lord (often sung with the chorus [and titled] “We’re marching to Zion”)
• Come Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove
• Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
• O God, Our Help in Ages Past
• When I survey the wondrous cross
• Alas! and did my Saviour bleed
• This is the day the Lord has made
• ‘Tis by Thy strength the mountains stand

Many of his hymns are included in the Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms. Many of his texts are also used in the American hymnal The Sacred Harp, using what is known as theshape note singing technique.

Music By: Evan Stephens

Evan Stephens was a Latter-day Saint composer and hymn writer. He was also the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 26 years (1890–1916).

In the 1927 English LDS Hymnbook there were 84 hymns written by Evan Stephens.

His 19 works in the 1985 English language edition of the Latter-day Saint hymnal are:

• #11 “What Was Witnessed in the Heavens” (music),
• #17 “Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!” (music),
• #18 “The Voice of God Again is Heard” (words and music),
• #23 & #312 (Women) “We Ever Pray for Thee” (text and adaptation of music by H. A. Tuckett),
• #33 “Our Mountain Home So Dear” (music),
• #35 “For the Strength of the Hills” (music),
• #55 “Lo, the Mighty God Appearing!” (music),
• #61 “Raise Your Voices to the Lord’” (words and music),
• #74 “Praise Ye the Lord” (music),
• #91 “Father thy Children to Thee Now Raise” (words and music),
• #118 “Ye Simple Souls who Stray” (music),
• #120 “Lean on My Ample Arm” (music),
• #183 “In Remembrance of Thy Suffering” (words and music),
• #229 “Today, While the Sun Shines (music),
• #243 “Let Us All Press On” (words and music),
• #254 “True to the Faith” (words and music),
• #312 “We Ever Pray for Thee” (words and music),
• #330 “See The Mighty Angel Flying” (music), and
• #337 “O Home Beloved” (words).

He wrote several other LDS hymns that do not appear in the 1985 edition of the hymnal.

Included among his works is “Utah, We Love Thee” (also sometimes referred to as “Land of the Mountains High”) which became the official State Song of Utah in 1937. In 2003 it was designated the official State Hymn, and a new state song was named.

Under Evan Stephens’ direction the size of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir increased from 125 members to over 300.

Stephens was also the director of the choir who moved it into the field of performing concerts and not just for religious celebrations.

For part of the time that Stephens was director of the Tabernacle Choir he held the title of president with two counselors, in a system of leadership similar to that used in LDS Church wards and stakes.

Stephens was also the first man employed as full time choir director. This occurred in 1895. Prior to this the director of the choir had been viewed as a part time office, who although given a stipend for his service was expected to earn his main employ by other methods. At this time the leaders of the church decided to make the position of choir director full time and doubled Stephens salary.