Scripture Verse

I rejoice at Thy Word. Psalm 119:162

Introduction

Words: Nils Fryk­man, in Pil­grims­ton­er, 1886 (Den hög­sta lycka pä vår jord). Trans­lat­ed from Swed­ish to Eng­lish by Sig­ne L. Ben­nett & An­drew T. Fryk­man, 1928. Pub­lished in The Co­ve­nant Hym­nal (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Co­ve­nant Book Con­cern, 1931), num­ber 124.

Music: Aman­da S. Waes­ter­berg (1842–1918), ap­par­ent­ly com­posed for this text (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ben­nett or Waes­ter­berg (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Nils Frykman (1842–1911)

Lyrics

The high­est joy that can be known
To those who heav’n­ward wend—
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as friend;
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as friend.

The Word doth give me wealth un­told,
All good it has in store;
My deep­est sor­rows lose their hold
To joys for­ev­er­more;
My deep­est sor­rows loose their hold
To joys for­ev­er­more.

How oft­en when in deep des­pair
My soul has been re­stored,
And when the tempt­er would en­snare
’Twould strength to stand af­ford;
And when the tempt­er would en­snare
’Twould strength to stand af­ford.

It tells me of a love di­vine,
How Je­sus’ blood was shed;
Each day this joy­ous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread;
Each day this joy­ous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread.

When stars above shall shine no more
God’s Word is still my light;
When plea­sures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height;
When plea­sures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height.