LDS Church News viewpoint: 'Song of the righteous'

This year's Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square was more than just a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the choir's "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast, though that was certainly the focus of the event.

In a broad sense it gave homage to the place of music in the worship of the Latter-day Saints.

From the dawn of this gospel dispensation, the Lord has enshrined music as an essential part of our liturgy. Three months after the organization of the church, the Lord gave a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith instructing that his wife, Emma, make a selection of sacred hymns. The revelation contained the passage, quoted so often today, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads" (Doctrine and Covenants 25:12).

The Lord's endorsement of music as an appropriate expression of reverence was again enunciated in "the Word and Will of the Lord," the revelation given through Brigham Young at Winter Quarters on Jan. 14, 1847, to guide the Latter-day Saints in their continued trek westward to the Salt Lake Valley. "If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music" (Doctrine and Covenants 136:28).

Of course, this is a tradition going back to the Lord's dealings with his ancient covenant peoples.

See the full story on ldschurchnews.com.