Welcome to Dove Songs

By Barri Armitage

About the Songs:  Think on These Things

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     Seeing "a light at the end of the tunnel" can give you courage to keep going through the dark, just as God's promises to the Israelites gave them hope in the wilderness. This collection of songs sings of that light and that hope.  The songs follow one another like parts of a story.

      The melodies are new and expanded arrangements, based on the rich lore of folk songs that have been passed from generation to generation.  The authors' names have been lost in time, but the tunes have had staying power over the centuries.

1.  "THINK ON THESE THINGS," adapted from Philippians 4:8, gives the secret of joy: Think on God's truth and its ultimate fulfillment in His Kingdom.  This will keep you positive and lift you past the burdens you may bear.   The origins of this ancient Irish melody are unknown.  The first words known to have been set to it are "Would I were Erin 's apple blossom o'er you" by Alfred Graves.  Next, Thomas Moore used the tune for "My Gentle Harp."  Later, "Danny Boy" appeared.  Hubert Parry, author of  the song, " Jerusalem ," called the melody "the most beautiful tune in the world."

2.  "JOY WILL COME IN THE MORNING," based on Psalms 30:5 and 126:5, encourages you to look ahead to the "sunrise"  in order to gain strength in the night filled with sorrows.  I wrote this for a friend going through a wrenching personal tragedy.  The tune is old Scottish.  Lady John Scott picked up both the words and the tune to " Loch Lomond " from a poor boy singing it on the streets of Edinburgh .

3.  "TURN NOW TO ME,” based on passages from Ezekiel 14, 18, and 33, shows God as a Father giving a call to repentance, wishing to bless Israel (the physical nations that have descended from ancient Israel, and His church, the "Israel of God") and eventually, the whole world.  The tune is adapted from a Scottish folk love song, fittingly called, “Turn Ye To Me.”

4.  "OH, LORD, YOU HAVE SEARCHED ME," adapted from Psalm 139, is a heartfelt cry of repentance, asking God to examine the psalmist and show where he needs to change.  The tune is adapted from the well-known English folk song, “Greensleeves.”  As with many folk songs, the origin of the melody is unknown. What is clear is the tune's popularity, under many different titles and versions, for at least five hundred years.

5.  "HEALED BY HIS STRIPES," adapted from I Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:4-5, and I Corinthians 11:24 , follows the repentant attitude of Song #4.  Although self-examination is a daily process, it is especially important in preparation for the Passover service. As we take the bread, we meditate on the pain Christ endured and discern His Body, broken for our healing.  Sections of an old Irish melody from "The Banks of the Roses" are part of the tune.

6.  "BOUGHT WITH A PRICE," based on I Corinthians 6:20, dwells on the precious sacrifice of Christ's life and death, our Passover, ransoming us from death.  The melody is adapted from an old Irish air now known as "The Foggy Dew."

7.  "BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL," adapted from Psalm 103,  is an outpouring of praise for the blessings God gives: healing our sicknesses,  forgiving our sins, and ransoming us from death.  A love poem for Annie Laurie, written by William Douglas in 1685, was set to an old Scottish air to become a beloved folk song.

8.  "SONG OF MOSES," adapted from Exodus 15,  rejoices after the deliverance at the Red Sea and continues the theme of praise for God's power to save.  In our rendition, the male lead sings Moses’ part.  Beginning near the end of the second verse, “Miriam” can be heard singing a descant, a triumphant victory cry: “Horse and rider, hurled to sea!”. The origin of the rousing English tune is unknown, but it goes back to the sixteenth century.  A century or so later, an unknown author wrote the words for the song,"The British Grenadiers."

9.  "UNDER THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS,” adapted from Psalm 91, gives comfort and assurance to the Christian in the "wilderness wanderings," just as God protected and provided for ancient Israel .  The tune for the verse is the Scottish, "O Waly, Waly," which may mean "O Willow, Willow ."   There are other versions in England and America . You may have heard it called "The Water is Wide."  The chorus melody for "Under the Shadow of His Wings" is from the American folk song, "Oh, Shenandoah."

10. "THANK OFFERING” is based on Psalm 116, part of the Spring Holy Day "Hallel" or praise series (Psalms 113-118).  The prayer expresses heartfelt thanks for past deliverance and a desire to always trust in God.  The tune is based on an ancient Irish air.  Around 1850, Sir Samuel Ferguson of Belfast used the melody for "The Lark in the Clear Air," a beautiful love song.

11. "OH, LORD, OUR BELOVED,” based on the Song of Songs, is the love song of the Church to Christ, her Beloved.  With music contemporaneously composed by Bonnie Hood Witmer, the piece is the only one in this collection with words not set to a folk song.

12. "THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN," based on the unnamed wife of Proverbs 31, continues the theme of the Bride of Christ.  Thomas Moore, who collected folk tunes and wrote his own words, used this old Irish melody for "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms."  It seems especially appropriate for the "virtuous woman," as Moore ’s words speak of a husband's undying love, even as his wife ages and loses the outward beauty of youth.

13. "REJOICE IN ALL THINGS," based on Philippians 4:4-7, reinforces one of the truths to "think on."  God only wants good for us as He allows circumstances to develop our character. We can rejoice, knowing He works all that happens to us, even painful experiences, for the best.  The tune is adapted from an old Welsh folk song, "Myfwany," meaning "Dearest."

14. "PRAISE THE LORD FOREVER" is from Psalm 113, another of the Hallel series of psalms (see song #10).  The focus is on the light at the end of the tunnel, when Christ has returned and the whole earth praises Him.  His people do so now!  The music is adapted from an Irish folk song, "Come Back to Erin ."

15. "FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK," adapted from Luke 12:22-37, gives assurance of God's tender care.  The simple, comforting tune is adapted from a beautiful English melody set to the folk song, "Early One Morning."

16. " FULL OF GRACE, SEASONED WITH SALT," based on Colossians 4:6, circles back to the opening song:  gracious speech is from a heart free of bitterness, is a result of dwelling on God's faithfulness, and is offered to His praise.  The Welsh tune is a peaceful lullaby, "Suo Gan."

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