Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you want to enjoy the heavenly hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus? In this post, you’ll get three essentials: 1) a sing along video of the song featuring Alan Jackson, 2) the complete lyrics to the hymn, and 3) easy-to-read free sheet music using shape notes including a sing along soundtrack. Keep reading to learn more.
This post uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.
Do You Want the Lyrics to the Hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus?”
The lyrics to What a Friend We Have in Jesus come from an 1883 hymnal arrangement of the song:
Verse 1:
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Verse 2:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Verse 3:
Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Video: Alan Jackson’s What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Explore the Free Sheet Music Version of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” that Uses Easy-to-Read Shape Notes
Do you need to learn about shape notes? The following articles will help you get up to speed:
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, rotate your screen 90o to the right.
Shape Note Soundtrack:
The soundtrack uses synthetic voices rather than actual voices. Research has shown that this will help with the ability to identify and produce absolute pitch information. For more information:
Final Thoughts
This post has three ways to interact with the hymn:
- Sing along with Alan Jackson’s version of the song.
- Learn the lyrics to What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
- Or read along with the easy-to-read free sheet music using shape notes.
Have fun singing!
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- Enjoy the Popular Song Oh My Darling Clementine
- Sing the Charming Song London Bridge Is Falling Down
© 2024 Geoffrey Keith
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Glossary
How Do I Find the Key of a Song with Accidentals?
Do you need to figure out the key for a song? Whether you have sheet music or figure out a song by ear, it’ll be useful to know the key of a song. This will help when adding harmonies, improvising, memorizing, or for just generally understanding the music. Plus, you can find out if the music changes keys during the song. Keep reading to answer the question, “How do I find the key of a song with accidentals?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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What Exactly Does Onomatopoeia Mean in Writing
Do you want to know what in the world the odd sounding word onomatopoeia means? Do you need help learning how to write them? We’ll define the word and have examples from writing, songwriting, and poetry. Keep reading “What Exactly Does Onomatopoeia Mean in Writing” to learn what it is and how it’s used. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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What’s Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Its Impact on Music?
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