Joyfully Bound

Hymn #1052 in Hymns--for Home and Church

Joyfully Bound was written from a place of deep adversity and should be sung with deep rejoicing in the recognition of the promises and blessings our Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, offer us through covenant. 

Each verse reminds us of a covenant opportunity from baptism, to the sacrament, to the temple. We remember the promises we have made and the promises God has made to us. Throughout the song, we reflect on how each covenant opportunity binds us more closely to the Savior and invites more of His power into our lives. 

Together, we joyfully witness that we are bound to Him. And as we recognize this gift, we are unified in our gratitude and joy!

Voicing: SATB

Accompaniment: Piano

Topics: baptism, covenants, faithfulness, God the Father, Jesus Christ, sacrament, Savior, temples, worship

Lyrics: Anna M. Molgard

Music: Anna M. Molgard, Rachel P. Mohlman

Arranged: Rachel P. Mohlman

SATB

LYRIC

1. Come humbly to the waters

And in Christ be born anew.

Come make the Lord a promise;

Come rejoicing as you do.

Come mourn with those in mourning;

Comfort those who stand in need.

Come and stand as living witness

In your word and very deed.

CHORUS

We are joyfully, joyfully bound

By cov’nant to the Father!

Rejoice in the happy sound

As we raise our voices in praise!

We are joyfully, joyfully bound

By cov’nant to the Savior!

Rejoice and witness to all this day;

We are joyfully, joyfully bound!

2. Come meekly to His table

On each blessed Sabbath day.

Renew your sacred cov’nant

To receive His holy name.

We promise to remember

As we promise to obey;

Then we’ll always have His Spirit

To abide with us each day.

CHORUS

3. Come gladly to the temple

To receive God’s holy pow’r.

Come cov’nant with the Father;

Give your will to Him each hour.

Go forward armed with power,

With His name upon your heart;

And His angels will surround you,

With His glory round about.

CHORUS

PERFORMANCE NOTES

For best blend and unity, take care with the word “Joy”. The dipthong (two vowel sounds: o-e) requires that you sing the first vowel without migrating to the second until the release of the word. Sing “Jo”, just putting on a hint of the ‘e’ sound as you finish the word. A similar approach will help the word ‘bound’. Sing “Bah” and put on the ‘oo’ just before the ending consonant. This ‘sing the first vowel’ approach will be useful throughout the song on other dipthongs in words like ‘obey,’ ‘rejoice,’ sound,’ ‘raise’, ‘praise’, ‘surround,’ and ‘about.’

‘Fath-er’ and ‘Sa-vior’ should be sung as strong/weak syllables, as you would say it. Do not punch the second syllable just to maintain dynamic level.

Note the frequent indication of the melody (mel.) as it changes voices and bring it out. 

Invite your choir to let their faces show their joy as they sing, while maintaining tall, beautiful vowel sounds.