“Remember the Lord”

Daniel E. Gawtrop (American, born 1949)
He That Keepeth Thee (2020)
for soprano, baritone, and piano
Commissioned by the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts, Art for Uncertain Times

In Helaman chapter 10 we read of the great power given by God to Nephi, “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will” (Helaman 10:4-5).

Recently, composer Daniel E. Gawthrop created music for voices and piano, “He That Keepeth Thee,” using texts from Isaiah 41:10 and Psalms 121:1-7 that echo the concept that God is aware of us and that he watches over us. Gawthrop writes:

When composing vocal music I always begin by searching for the music that is inherent within the text. The scriptures of comfort which I chose to set in this duet serve as a reminder that the Lord has earned our trust and that yielding our will to His will always be the better, the wiser, and the most prudent choice.

To listen to a performance of “He That Keepeth Thee, click here.

Discussion Questions:

1. Nephi, the son of Helaman, was a Nephite prophet. During his ministry, the hearts of the people turned away from God because they sought "to be praised of men" and "to get gain" (Helaman 7:21). What distracts you from following Jesus?

2. Nephi is a remarkably righteous man. The Lord tells Nephi that because of His trust in Nephi's heart and his "unwearyingness," He will grant whatever Nephi asks in prayer because Nephi's desires are consistent with the Lord's (Hel. 10:5-10). The Lord tells Nephi that "all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will" (Helaman 10:5). What do you think is required to establish this level of trust from the Lord? [See "Prayer" in the Bible Dictionary: "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part... Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them."]

3. Because of "their ease," the people who were once prosperous in all areas of their lives became wicked and their hearts were hardened (Helaman 12:2). How can a blessing become a curse?

Questions for Youth & Children:

1. Nephi chose to pray on a tower in his garden (Helaman 7:10).  Why do you think he decided on this place to pray?  What happened because of the place he chose?  Where do you pray?  Why does it matter - or not - the place where you chose to pray?

2.  When Nephi is teaching the people about God, he reminds them of Moses, a man who God was with (Helaman 8; 13-16, 23).  When Nephi told them about the chief judge being dead on the judgment seat, and the five men who went to check found what Nephi said to be true, they changed their hearts and believed (Helaman 9:1-5).  Which of the prophets, or other leaders, is able to speak to your heart and strengthen your testimony of God?

3. When Nephi prays to God asking that the famine be gone, he speaks of the earth as a "she" (Helaman 11:13, 17).  What are the feminine characteristics of the earth?