Dwight L. Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Dwight Leslie Armstrong was a composer of Christian hymn
s based upon texts from the Psalms
and other books of the Old Testament
and the New Testament
. He was the younger brother of American evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong
, and uncle of American evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong
. He was married to Karen Hill Armstrong (no relation to Karen Armstrong
, the nun turned author of books on Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism), and was the father of one daughter, Deborah.
on 12 September 1904, with a twin sister Mary Lucille Armstrong. The Armstrongs had come to the United States from England
with William Penn
, and were descended from Edward I
, King of England. Like his brother Herbert, Dwight was raised in the Quaker religion. In his early adult life, he was employed in Portland, Oregon
.
There are conflicting accounts pertaining to the conversion and baptism of Dwight Armstrong. According to one report, around the spring of 1927 Dwight Armstrong "accepted Christ while attending a Quaker congregation in Portland, Oregon". Subsequently, both Armstrong brothers were baptized during the Pentecost
season of that year by Dr. Dean, pastor of the Hinson Memorial Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon. In the 1986 edition of Herbert W. Armstrong's Autobiography edited by Dr. Herman L. Hoeh, on pages 416-417 it suggests that Dwight answered an alter call given by his brother in December 1930 in Harrisburg, Oregon
and was subsequently baptized by his brother.
In 1931 the family moved to a farm south of Oregon City, Oregon
. The father died in early 1933, and Dwight remained on the farm until about 1947. After the founding of Ambassador College
that year, Dwight moved with his mother to San Gabriel, California
.
As of the mid 1950s, he was caring for his mother, who was living with him at the time. In 1953, Karen Hill (sister of longtime Worldwide Church of God minister David Jon Hill) came to Ambassador College in Pasadena to serve as a receptionist and telephone operator. In time, her duties grew to include caring for Mrs. Armstrong.
According to David Jon Hill, "Karen and Dwight became acquainted in this manner and got married in 1954. This made for some sort of further relationship with me and the Armstrongs that I never did figure out -- if I had kept at it I probably would have found out that I was my own grandpa. Dwight, as most know, was the composer of most of the Hymns in the Church Hymnal, used for so many years, and an accomplished violinist. He was a quiet man and kept mostly to himself -- a good match for my sister's social ability and talkative nature."
. An elderly attendee at the campaign declined to participate in hymn singing, citing his belief that many of the hymns being used were not doctrinally and scripturally sound. The attendee was quoted by Armstrong as saying, "It is just as sinful to sing a lie as to tell one.". This led Armstrong to explore the possibility of using hymns based on scriptures. Incidentally, in recent years, particularly with the 2008 edition of the Baptist Hymnal, other faith communities have adopted stringent standards of ensuring the hymns included in new hymnals are scripturally and doctrinally sound in accordance with their own beliefs.
Herbert has described the moment that led him to commission his brother to compose hymns for the church: "One day I heard my youngest brother, Dwight, play on the piano a piece he had composed. It was not four-part harmony, but was in the style of a four-part harmony hymn. I was intrigued. It had quality and character. I had known from the time my brother was a small child that he had a special musical talent. I immediately asked him to compose two or three hymns, setting words from the Psalms to music. It took some little time, but they were good ".
When Ambassador College was opened in 1947, Herbert asked Dwight to "devote full time to setting the words of Psalms—and/or any other Scripture—to music in the four-part harmony style of hymns.". The first known use of Armstrong's hymns was at the 1948 Feast of Tabernacles, an annual celebration of the Church, in Belknap Springs, Oregon
. In a 31 October 1948 letter to the membership, Herbert described the singing of the hymns as follows, "The songs, of course, were all new and had to be learned. But we found them BEAUTIFUL---some of the tunes so 'catchy' they simply would not leave the mind---yet of such quality, coupled with the exquisite words of divine inspiration, that they were described as 'classics,' carrying a dignity and character of divine royalty---songs befitting the regal splendor of a King---yes, songs inspired by and sung to, THE King! Somehow, after singing the gracious expressive words of Holy Scripture, the hymns written by mortal man seemed hollow and empty and cheap and common---employing flowery words to say so little" (emphasis his).
The lyrics of many of Armstrong's hymns are believed to have been developed based on rhymed psalter
s. Some of these psalters include the Book of Psalms for Singing (published by the Board of Education and Publication, Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
), the Psalter Hymnal (published by the Christian Reformed Church), and the Psalms of David in Metre (commonly referred to as the “Scottish Psalter”). Armstrong is also thought to have utilized psalm settings by John Milton
and William Kethe
. As of the mid 1990s, Ambassador University Music Department chair Ross F. Jutsum had a large volume of psalm paraphrases, which is said to have been a primary source for Dwight Armstrong's selection of psalm lyric settings.
The first hymns composed by Armstrong carried a copyright of 1948. Some of these were revised and several more were published in 1952, with more being published in 1958. The final group of hymns were published c. 1972-1974. Dwight's wife, Karen, was heavily involved with all of the compositions, helping her husband set lyrics to the music. The editions of the hymnal produced by the Worldwide Church of God between 1972 and 1974 were produced under the editorial direction of Ambassador College Music Department Chair Lucy H. Martin and Ambassador College student John Zahody.
The most recent hymnal produced by the Worldwide Church of God
was printed in 1993, and included eighty-four of Armstrong's previously published hymns as well as many internationally well-known hymns such as Battle Hymn of the Republic. Following Dwight's death in 1984, Herbert announced that a new hymnal was in the works and was to include dozens of new hymns written by Dwight during the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, the editorial team that worked on the revised hymnal chose to include only previously-published hymns by Dwight, along with numerous other well-known hymns and hymns composed by several other members of the Worldwide Church of God, including Ambassador College Music Department Chairman Ross F. Jutsum. Dwight's daughter, Deborah L. Armstrong, retains the original, unpublished hymns in her father's own handwriting.
The recollections of John D. Schroeder, who was the conductor of the Ambassador Chorale in the 1980s, reflect Dwight Armstrong's modesty. Schroeder wrote, "He once told me, personally, in his home, 'My brother says God called me to write these hymns; I think the truth is that my brother wanted me to write these hymns.'...Dwight Armstrong was a kind soul and painfully aware of his limitations as a composer. After listening to a performance of one of his hymns by the Ambassador Chorale, he told me, 'I’m sure no Beethoven
.' Truth is, he agonized over his inability to write at the level of great composers, even though a comfortable majority of those who sang his songs loved them."
In addition to his hymns Dwight also wrote a school song for Ambassador College titled "Our Ambassador." However, this song does not appear to have ever been officially adopted, with the only known copy being held in the Worldwide Church of God archives in Glendora, California
. The Church archives also contain several seldom-performed solo vocal settings of the psalms by Dwight Armstrong.
Some of Armstrong's hymns have also been published in the hymnals of churches which have their origins in the Worldwide Church of God, including the Church of God the Eternal, the Church of God International, the Intercontinental Church of God, United Church of God and the Living Church of God
.
There are no hymns based on the famous Psalm 23
, perhaps because there were several readily available hymn settings by other composers.
There are three hymns based on Psalm 25
: "Our God Is Good and Upright", "To Thee I Lift My Soul", and "Mine Eyes Upon the Lord Continually Are Set".
"When Israel Out of Egypt Went", based on Psalm 114
, is often sung at Passover
services and during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
There are four published hymns based on other Old Testament texts: "I Will Sing To The Eternal" (based on the Song of Moses
as recorded in Exodus 15); "Thee Will I Love, O Lord" (based on II Samuel 22); "Blow the Horn, Let Zion Hear!" (based on Joel 2 and excluded from the 1993 Worldwide Church of God hymnal because of its thematic matter); "Behold, the Day Will Come" (based on Zechariah 14). The latter two hymns are often sung during the Church's fall festival season, specifically on the Feast of Trumpets (or Rosh Hashannah), the Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot
), and the Last Great Day.
There are three frequently published hymns based on New Testament texts: "Go Ye Therefore Into All the World" (based on the Great Commission
of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 28
and Mark 16
; "Not Many Wise Men Now Are Called" (based on I Corinthians 1); "If I Have Not Charity" (I Corinthians 13).
In the early 1980s, a four-cassette set of hymns was recorded by the Ambassador Chorale and Young Ambassadors of Ambassador College, joined by Worldwide Church of God choir members from nearby congregations in California. In addition, Ross F. Jutsum recorded a four-cassette set of "piano only" recordings of all of Dwight Armstrong's hymns published in the 1974 edition of the Bible Hymnal.
On 1 April 1984, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote a letter to the membership of the Worldwide Church of God regarding the declining health of his brother. In response to the letter, there was a great outpouring of sympathy from the membership. As Dwight lay on his deathbed, the Armstrongs received hundreds of cards, letters and gifts as well as donations to help with medical bills.
Dwight Leslie Armstrong died of prostate Cancer
on 17 November 1984 at the age of 80, and was buried on 23 November 1984, in Quilcene, Washington
, about a half hour drive from Sequim, Washington
, where he and his family lived. According to a 1985 issue of the Ambassador Report, his funeral was attended by his wife Karen, his twin sister Mary Lucile Edmonson of Ashland, Oregon, many Worldwide Church of God ministers, Roderick C. Meredith
, and nephew Garner Ted Armstrong
. His daughter, Deborah Armstrong was also in attendance. Herbert W. Armstrong was in Bangladesh at the time and was unable to attend.
Joseph W. Tkach
, who ascended to the office of Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God in 1986, related the events of the funeral in the Pastor General's Report: "About 40 were present to pay their last respects to a man whose music has played such a vital role in God's church for almost 40 years. Messrs. Dibar Apartian, Ralph Helge, Herman Hoeh, Roderick Meredith, and I were present for the funeral service, which was conducted by Mr. Richard Parker, pastor of the Kent, Washington
congregation...Those present joined in singing the hymn Mr. Armstrong composed from Psalm 141
, 'Hear My Cry Eternal One.". Dwight's wife Karen and his daughter, Deborah were also present at the funeral. Karen arranged the funeral so that an 8-year-old boy, who had been taking violin lessons from Dwight, played 'Hear My Cry Oh Eternal One' on Armstrong's prized violin - which he had bequeathed to the boy.
His daughter, Deborah Armstrong, received a Bachelor of Arts from Ambassador College, worked as a writer for the World Tomorrow television program following her graduation in 1989, and later served on the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation humanitarian project in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad), Russia in the early 1990s. Following her return from Russia, Deborah embarked on a career in television news. She spent the following years working as TV reporter in the Pacific Northwest during which time she won two Emmys (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Northwest Chapter 2001 and 2002.)
Dwight Armstrong's hymns continue to be sung in some congregations of the Worldwide Church of God, as well as churches that have their origins in the Worldwide Church of God. The Worldwide Church of God announced on 26 June 2006 that all hymns written by Armstrong that were currently copyrighted by the Church were being placed in the public domain, thus facilitating wider use of Armstrong’s hymns.
The following site, sponsored by the Church of God Twenty-first Century, has midi recordings and scanned sheet music of the Armstrong hymns that appeared in the 1972-1974 edition of the Worldwide Church of God's Bible Hymnal:
http://www.cog21.org/hymnal/hymnal.html
The following site, sponsored by the Church of God International (a church founded by Dwight's nephew Garner Ted Armstrong in 1978), has midi recordings with lyrics only:
http://home.fuse.net/rust/BurgHymn.html
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s based upon texts from the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and other books of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. He was the younger brother of American evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong founded the Worldwide Church of God in the late 1930s, as well as Ambassador College in 1946, and was an early pioneer of radio and tele-evangelism, originally taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon...
, and uncle of American evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong
Garner Ted Armstrong
Garner Ted Armstrong was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, at the time a Sabbatarian organization that taught strict observance of seventh-day Sabbath, holy days typically associated with the Jewish faith, and other observances...
. He was married to Karen Hill Armstrong (no relation to Karen Armstrong
Karen Armstrong
Karen Armstrong FRSL , is a British author and commentator who is the author of twelve books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic nun, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical faith...
, the nun turned author of books on Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism), and was the father of one daughter, Deborah.
Early life and religious faith
Dwight Armstrong was born to Horace Elon Armstrong and Eva Wright Armstrong in Des Moines, IowaDes Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
on 12 September 1904, with a twin sister Mary Lucille Armstrong. The Armstrongs had come to the United States from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, and were descended from Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, King of England. Like his brother Herbert, Dwight was raised in the Quaker religion. In his early adult life, he was employed in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
There are conflicting accounts pertaining to the conversion and baptism of Dwight Armstrong. According to one report, around the spring of 1927 Dwight Armstrong "accepted Christ while attending a Quaker congregation in Portland, Oregon". Subsequently, both Armstrong brothers were baptized during the Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
season of that year by Dr. Dean, pastor of the Hinson Memorial Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon. In the 1986 edition of Herbert W. Armstrong's Autobiography edited by Dr. Herman L. Hoeh, on pages 416-417 it suggests that Dwight answered an alter call given by his brother in December 1930 in Harrisburg, Oregon
Harrisburg, Oregon
Harrisburg is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,795 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
and was subsequently baptized by his brother.
In 1931 the family moved to a farm south of Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. The father died in early 1933, and Dwight remained on the farm until about 1947. After the founding of Ambassador College
Ambassador College
Ambassador College was a four-year, liberal arts college run by the Worldwide Church of God. The college was established in 1947 in Pasadena, California by radio evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong, leader of what was then the Radio Church of God, later renamed the Worldwide Church of God...
that year, Dwight moved with his mother to San Gabriel, California
San Gabriel, California
San Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
.
As of the mid 1950s, he was caring for his mother, who was living with him at the time. In 1953, Karen Hill (sister of longtime Worldwide Church of God minister David Jon Hill) came to Ambassador College in Pasadena to serve as a receptionist and telephone operator. In time, her duties grew to include caring for Mrs. Armstrong.
According to David Jon Hill, "Karen and Dwight became acquainted in this manner and got married in 1954. This made for some sort of further relationship with me and the Armstrongs that I never did figure out -- if I had kept at it I probably would have found out that I was my own grandpa. Dwight, as most know, was the composer of most of the Hymns in the Church Hymnal, used for so many years, and an accomplished violinist. He was a quiet man and kept mostly to himself -- a good match for my sister's social ability and talkative nature."
Publication of hymns
The origins of Dwight Armstrong's creative work can be traced to the evangelistic campaign conducted by his brother Herbert in the summer of 1933 in Eugene, OregonEugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. An elderly attendee at the campaign declined to participate in hymn singing, citing his belief that many of the hymns being used were not doctrinally and scripturally sound. The attendee was quoted by Armstrong as saying, "It is just as sinful to sing a lie as to tell one.". This led Armstrong to explore the possibility of using hymns based on scriptures. Incidentally, in recent years, particularly with the 2008 edition of the Baptist Hymnal, other faith communities have adopted stringent standards of ensuring the hymns included in new hymnals are scripturally and doctrinally sound in accordance with their own beliefs.
Herbert has described the moment that led him to commission his brother to compose hymns for the church: "One day I heard my youngest brother, Dwight, play on the piano a piece he had composed. It was not four-part harmony, but was in the style of a four-part harmony hymn. I was intrigued. It had quality and character. I had known from the time my brother was a small child that he had a special musical talent. I immediately asked him to compose two or three hymns, setting words from the Psalms to music. It took some little time, but they were good ".
When Ambassador College was opened in 1947, Herbert asked Dwight to "devote full time to setting the words of Psalms—and/or any other Scripture—to music in the four-part harmony style of hymns.". The first known use of Armstrong's hymns was at the 1948 Feast of Tabernacles, an annual celebration of the Church, in Belknap Springs, Oregon
Belknap Springs, Oregon
Belknap Springs is an unincorporated community and private hot springs resort in Lane County, Oregon, United States, near the McKenzie River. The springs were located and initially developed by R. S. Belknap in 1869. A post office named "Salt Springs" was established in the location in 1874, and...
. In a 31 October 1948 letter to the membership, Herbert described the singing of the hymns as follows, "The songs, of course, were all new and had to be learned. But we found them BEAUTIFUL---some of the tunes so 'catchy' they simply would not leave the mind---yet of such quality, coupled with the exquisite words of divine inspiration, that they were described as 'classics,' carrying a dignity and character of divine royalty---songs befitting the regal splendor of a King---yes, songs inspired by and sung to, THE King! Somehow, after singing the gracious expressive words of Holy Scripture, the hymns written by mortal man seemed hollow and empty and cheap and common---employing flowery words to say so little" (emphasis his).
The lyrics of many of Armstrong's hymns are believed to have been developed based on rhymed psalter
Rhymed psalter
Rhymed psalters are translations of the Psalms from Hebrew or Latin into poetry in some other language. Rhymed psalters include metrical psalters designed for singing, but are not limited to that use.-Origins:...
s. Some of these psalters include the Book of Psalms for Singing (published by the Board of Education and Publication, Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America , a Christian church, is a small Presbyterian denomination with churches throughout the United States, in southeastern Canada, and in a small part of Japan. Its beliefs place it in the conservative wing of the Reformed family of Protestant churches...
), the Psalter Hymnal (published by the Christian Reformed Church), and the Psalms of David in Metre (commonly referred to as the “Scottish Psalter”). Armstrong is also thought to have utilized psalm settings by John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
and William Kethe
William Kethe
William Kethe was a bible translator, especially of the psalms.Kethe is thought to have been Scots-born, although this has never been confirmed...
. As of the mid 1990s, Ambassador University Music Department chair Ross F. Jutsum had a large volume of psalm paraphrases, which is said to have been a primary source for Dwight Armstrong's selection of psalm lyric settings.
The first hymns composed by Armstrong carried a copyright of 1948. Some of these were revised and several more were published in 1952, with more being published in 1958. The final group of hymns were published c. 1972-1974. Dwight's wife, Karen, was heavily involved with all of the compositions, helping her husband set lyrics to the music. The editions of the hymnal produced by the Worldwide Church of God between 1972 and 1974 were produced under the editorial direction of Ambassador College Music Department Chair Lucy H. Martin and Ambassador College student John Zahody.
The most recent hymnal produced by the Worldwide Church of God
Worldwide Church of God
Grace Communion International , formerly the Worldwide Church of God , is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Glendora, California, United States. Since April 3, 2009, it has used the new name Grace Communion International in the US...
was printed in 1993, and included eighty-four of Armstrong's previously published hymns as well as many internationally well-known hymns such as Battle Hymn of the Republic. Following Dwight's death in 1984, Herbert announced that a new hymnal was in the works and was to include dozens of new hymns written by Dwight during the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, the editorial team that worked on the revised hymnal chose to include only previously-published hymns by Dwight, along with numerous other well-known hymns and hymns composed by several other members of the Worldwide Church of God, including Ambassador College Music Department Chairman Ross F. Jutsum. Dwight's daughter, Deborah L. Armstrong, retains the original, unpublished hymns in her father's own handwriting.
The recollections of John D. Schroeder, who was the conductor of the Ambassador Chorale in the 1980s, reflect Dwight Armstrong's modesty. Schroeder wrote, "He once told me, personally, in his home, 'My brother says God called me to write these hymns; I think the truth is that my brother wanted me to write these hymns.'...Dwight Armstrong was a kind soul and painfully aware of his limitations as a composer. After listening to a performance of one of his hymns by the Ambassador Chorale, he told me, 'I’m sure no Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
.' Truth is, he agonized over his inability to write at the level of great composers, even though a comfortable majority of those who sang his songs loved them."
In addition to his hymns Dwight also wrote a school song for Ambassador College titled "Our Ambassador." However, this song does not appear to have ever been officially adopted, with the only known copy being held in the Worldwide Church of God archives in Glendora, California
Glendora, California
Glendora is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the population of Glendora was 50,073....
. The Church archives also contain several seldom-performed solo vocal settings of the psalms by Dwight Armstrong.
Some of Armstrong's hymns have also been published in the hymnals of churches which have their origins in the Worldwide Church of God, including the Church of God the Eternal, the Church of God International, the Intercontinental Church of God, United Church of God and the Living Church of God
Living Church of God
The Living Church of God is one of the church groups formed by followers of the teachings of the late Herbert W. Armstrong. It was formed as a series of major doctrinal changes were introduced in the Worldwide Church of God after Armstrong's death in 1986...
.
Listing and description of hymns
This section is divided into three sections: hymns based on the psalms, hymns based on other books from the Old Testament, and hymns based on books from the New Testament.The Psalms
| Title | Scripture Source | Original Publication Date | Previous Editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blessed and Happy Is the Man | Psalm 1:1-4 | 1972 | Appeared as "The First Psalm" in 1968 Radio Church of God hymnal |
| Why Do the Nations Make Plans in Vain? | Psalm 2 Psalm 2 Psalm 2 is the second Psalm of the Bible. It tells us that we can either defy God and perish, or submit to him and be blessed. Psalm 2 itself does not identify its author, but Acts 4:25-26 clearly attributes it to David.-In the original Hebrew:... |
1972 |
There are no hymns based on the famous Psalm 23
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
, perhaps because there were several readily available hymn settings by other composers.
There are three hymns based on Psalm 25
Psalm 25
-Judaism:*Verse 4 is recited responsively during the repetition of the Amidah on Rosh Hashanah.*Verse 6 is the third verse of V'hu Rachum in Pesukei Dezimra part of the opening paragraph of the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays, and part of the final paragraph of the regular Tachanun....
: "Our God Is Good and Upright", "To Thee I Lift My Soul", and "Mine Eyes Upon the Lord Continually Are Set".
"When Israel Out of Egypt Went", based on Psalm 114
Psalm 114
-Judaism:*Is one of six psalms of which Hallel is composed. On all days when Hallel is recited, this psalm is recited in its entirety.*Is recited on the first and/or eighth days of Passover in some traditions....
, is often sung at Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
services and during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
Other Old Testament verses
| Title | Scripture Source | Original Publication Date | Previous Editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Will Sing to the Eternal | Exodus 15 | 1972 |
There are four published hymns based on other Old Testament texts: "I Will Sing To The Eternal" (based on the Song of Moses
Song of Moses
The Song of Moses in this article relates to the name sometimes given to the poem that appears in Deuteronomy of the Hebrew Bible written/orated just prior to Moses' death atop Mount Nebo....
as recorded in Exodus 15); "Thee Will I Love, O Lord" (based on II Samuel 22); "Blow the Horn, Let Zion Hear!" (based on Joel 2 and excluded from the 1993 Worldwide Church of God hymnal because of its thematic matter); "Behold, the Day Will Come" (based on Zechariah 14). The latter two hymns are often sung during the Church's fall festival season, specifically on the Feast of Trumpets (or Rosh Hashannah), the Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
), and the Last Great Day.
The New Testament
| Title | Scripture Source | Original Publication Date | Previous Editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Ye Therefore Into All the World | 1972 | Appeared as "Go Ye Into All the World" in the 1968 Radio Church of God hymnal |
There are three frequently published hymns based on New Testament texts: "Go Ye Therefore Into All the World" (based on the Great Commission
Great Commission
The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 28
Matthew 28
Matthew 28 is the twenty-eighth and final chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This chapter covers the events around the resurrection of Jesus.-Content:...
and Mark 16
Mark 16
Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It begins with the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome — there they encounter a man dressed in white who announces the Resurrection of Jesus.Verse 8 ends...
; "Not Many Wise Men Now Are Called" (based on I Corinthians 1); "If I Have Not Charity" (I Corinthians 13).
Recordings and adaptations
During the 1970s, a concert band arrangement of the hymn "Holy Might Majesty" appeared on an album produced by the Young Philadelphians, a student ensemble based at Ambassador College. A jazz-like gospel version of the same hymn was recorded by Chris Jasper (a member of the Isley Brothers from 1973 to 1984) on the 1992 album Praise the Eternal.In the early 1980s, a four-cassette set of hymns was recorded by the Ambassador Chorale and Young Ambassadors of Ambassador College, joined by Worldwide Church of God choir members from nearby congregations in California. In addition, Ross F. Jutsum recorded a four-cassette set of "piano only" recordings of all of Dwight Armstrong's hymns published in the 1974 edition of the Bible Hymnal.
Death
Armstrong's last hymns were published in 1974, ten years before his death. According to the July 1984 issue of the Ambassador Report, Armstrong was "among those who were no longer actively supporting the Worldwide Church [of God] during the mid 1970s". However, Dwight faithfully paid tithes to the Church until his death and also attended Church services when his health permitted. Dwight's wife, Karen, left the church in 1974. However, despite their having been "unequally yoked" (at least from a religious standpoint), Karen and Dwight remained married until his death.On 1 April 1984, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote a letter to the membership of the Worldwide Church of God regarding the declining health of his brother. In response to the letter, there was a great outpouring of sympathy from the membership. As Dwight lay on his deathbed, the Armstrongs received hundreds of cards, letters and gifts as well as donations to help with medical bills.
Dwight Leslie Armstrong died of prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
on 17 November 1984 at the age of 80, and was buried on 23 November 1984, in Quilcene, Washington
Quilcene, Washington
Quilcene is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 591 at the 2000 census.The community is located on the scenic Olympic Peninsula along the seawater-filled glacial valley of the Hood Canal...
, about a half hour drive from Sequim, Washington
Sequim, Washington
Sequim is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The 2010 US Census counted a population of 6,606. Sequim is located along the Dungeness River near the base of the Olympic Mountains...
, where he and his family lived. According to a 1985 issue of the Ambassador Report, his funeral was attended by his wife Karen, his twin sister Mary Lucile Edmonson of Ashland, Oregon, many Worldwide Church of God ministers, Roderick C. Meredith
Roderick C. Meredith
Roderick C. Meredith is the leader and founder of the Charlotte, North Carolina based Living Church of God. One of the first five Evangelists of the Worldwide Church of God, he was ordained to the rank in 1952 by Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Radio Church of God...
, and nephew Garner Ted Armstrong
Garner Ted Armstrong
Garner Ted Armstrong was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, at the time a Sabbatarian organization that taught strict observance of seventh-day Sabbath, holy days typically associated with the Jewish faith, and other observances...
. His daughter, Deborah Armstrong was also in attendance. Herbert W. Armstrong was in Bangladesh at the time and was unable to attend.
Joseph W. Tkach
Joseph W. Tkach
Joseph W. Tkach was the appointed successor of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God. Tkach became President and Pastor General of the church upon the death of Armstrong in 1986...
, who ascended to the office of Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God in 1986, related the events of the funeral in the Pastor General's Report: "About 40 were present to pay their last respects to a man whose music has played such a vital role in God's church for almost 40 years. Messrs. Dibar Apartian, Ralph Helge, Herman Hoeh, Roderick Meredith, and I were present for the funeral service, which was conducted by Mr. Richard Parker, pastor of the Kent, Washington
Kent, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
congregation...Those present joined in singing the hymn Mr. Armstrong composed from Psalm 141
Psalm 141
Psalm 141 is the 141st psalm from the Book of Psalms. It was written by David. It is a plea to God not only for protection from one's enemies, but also from temptation to sin.Psalm 141 Psalm 141A psalm of David....
, 'Hear My Cry Eternal One.". Dwight's wife Karen and his daughter, Deborah were also present at the funeral. Karen arranged the funeral so that an 8-year-old boy, who had been taking violin lessons from Dwight, played 'Hear My Cry Oh Eternal One' on Armstrong's prized violin - which he had bequeathed to the boy.
His daughter, Deborah Armstrong, received a Bachelor of Arts from Ambassador College, worked as a writer for the World Tomorrow television program following her graduation in 1989, and later served on the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation humanitarian project in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad), Russia in the early 1990s. Following her return from Russia, Deborah embarked on a career in television news. She spent the following years working as TV reporter in the Pacific Northwest during which time she won two Emmys (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Northwest Chapter 2001 and 2002.)
Dwight Armstrong's hymns continue to be sung in some congregations of the Worldwide Church of God, as well as churches that have their origins in the Worldwide Church of God. The Worldwide Church of God announced on 26 June 2006 that all hymns written by Armstrong that were currently copyrighted by the Church were being placed in the public domain, thus facilitating wider use of Armstrong’s hymns.
External links and resources
The following site, sponsored by the Intercontinental Church of God, has guitar chords for selected Armstrong hymns: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/Hymnalindexguitar.shtmlThe following site, sponsored by the Church of God Twenty-first Century, has midi recordings and scanned sheet music of the Armstrong hymns that appeared in the 1972-1974 edition of the Worldwide Church of God's Bible Hymnal:
http://www.cog21.org/hymnal/hymnal.html
The following site, sponsored by the Church of God International (a church founded by Dwight's nephew Garner Ted Armstrong in 1978), has midi recordings with lyrics only:
http://home.fuse.net/rust/BurgHymn.html