“Wade in the Water” is a well-known spiritual that was one of the songs associated with the Underground Railroad. Since its first commercial recording in 1925 by the Sunset Four Jubilee Singers, it has been widely performed and recorded.

This arrangement stylistically emulates the theme of the popular 2017 television show The Chosen, which also uses this same spiritual. The title is taken from the last line of the song: “God’s gonna trouble the water.”

This version of the hymn “O Happy Day” is an international assemblage made over a period of almost 300 years. The original words to the song were written in the 18th century by Philip Doddridge, an Englishman. The spritely melody to this version was composed in the 20th century by Go¨sta Linstro¨m, a Swede. The arrangement of Lindstrom’s tune first appeared in the Musical Salvationist and was made by Emil Soderstrom, a Dane. The present arrangement for brass was made in the 21st century by an American. If nothing else, it shows that happiness is a good thing, and this melody shows how infectious it can be.

This version of the hymn “O Happy Day” is an international assemblage made over a period of almost 300 years. The original words to the song were written in the 18th century by Philip Doddridge, an Englishman. The spritely melody to this version was composed in the 20th century by Go¨sta Linstro¨m, a Swede. The arrangement of Lindstrom’s tune first appeared in the Musical Salvationist and was made by Emil Soderstrom, a Dane. The present arrangement for brass was made in the 21st century by an American. If nothing else, it shows that happiness is a good thing, and this melody shows how infectious it can be.

“All My Heart I Give Thee” was the first song ever written by Harry Davis, and it was published in The War Cry in 1880, set to a tune by Robert Lowry.

The lyrics of this song express devotion to serving God in everything. This ensemble arrangement uses the text of the first verse and chorus and takes its title from the last line of the verse.

Jesus, precious Savior, thou hast saved my soul,

From sin’s foul corruption made me fully whole;

Every hour I’ll serve thee, whate’er may befall,

Till in Heaven I crown thee King and Lord of all.

All my heart I give thee,

Day by day, come what may.

All my life I give thee,

Dying men to save.

“I Vow the Thee, My Country” is a British patriotic hymn based on a poem by Sir Cecil Spring Rice (1908). Gustav Holst wrote the tune “Thaxted,” which is taken from the “Jupiter” movement of his own suite The Planets (1917).

This is a straightforward presentation of a children’s chorus with an equally direct statement of faith: I believe God answers prayer, He’s answered mine before.

“Bringing in the Sheaves” is a joyful, lilting tune by George Minor (1880) which has been in use for more than 140 years. The text by Knowles Shaw (1874) evokes a harvest scene, as expressed in the first verse:

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,

Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;

Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

The “Warfare” section of The Salvation Army Song Book is full of battle songs that remind us that despite things such as trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger – even unto death, etc., “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us” (Romans 8:37 [NLT]). We are soldiers in an army that is already promised victory because of our captain, Christ himself!

This is a bright arrangement of one of these songs, “Happy Song” by William Bradbury (1867). The lyrics by Fanny Crosby (1867) remind us to “Shout for Joy!” as “we are marching on with shield and banner bright.”

The “Warfare” section of The Salvation Army Song Book is full of battle songs that remind us that despite things such as trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger – even unto death, etc., “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us” (Romans 8:37 [NLT]). We are soldiers in an army that is already promised victory because of our captain, Christ himself!

This is a bright arrangement of one of these songs, “Happy Song” by William Bradbury (1867). The lyrics by Fanny Crosby (1867) remind us to “Shout for Joy!” as “we are marching on with shield and banner bright.”

One of the more popular songs from the contemporary Christian band Passion, “Glorious Day” is an anthem that proclaims joy from this truth: because Jesus rose from His grave, we too can break free from the sin that imprisons us.

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1). Fanny Crosby’s hymn, “Come with Happy Faces,” once appeared in the Youth section of The Salvation Army Song Book. It has since been moved to address us all in “Our Response to God, Worship, Meeting Together,” and carries this universal summons:

“With a grateful spirit, now our voices raise; Thank him for his goodness in a song of praise.”

Written by the Nigerian gospel singer Sinach, Waymaker became one of the few truly internationally known Contemporary Christian songs when it was released in 2015. It again became the most popular song in the CCLI catalogue in 2020 during the worldwide Covid pandemic, perhaps because of its hopeful and comforting message about God’s faithfulness and promise keeping in times of trouble.

“Sound the Battle Cry” was written by William Fisk Sherman (1826-1888) and published in Bright Jewels (1869). This energetic arrangement reflects the rousing call to action of the lyrics:

Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud, Hosanna!
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.

This march, from George Frideric Handel’s opera Scipione was composed in 1725 and received its first public performance a year later in England. The march appears in the last section of the opera’s overture and again at the start of the action. This is lively music from the late Baroque period and has often been rescored for solo instruments as well as large ensembles.

This folksong-like melody has been appearing in hymnals for many years as “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley.” Its origins are shrouded in obscurity and can be traced to the Appalachian mountains of the southeastern United States.

The refrain of the song includes these words:

Jesus walked this lonesome valley; he had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him; he had to walk it by himself.

One of the lesser-known American spirituals, “Listen To The Lambs,” was first published in 1914. Perhaps one of its most lasting recordings was made in 1955, sung a capella by the Tuskegee Institute Choir.

The text is drawn from an older spiritual, “I Want To Go To Heaven When I Die.” Here, it is given a rhythmic setting featuring a light Latin rhythmic backing to its haunting melody.