This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Contentment
Staff Notation • Sacred
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Barry Johnston
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Contentment by Oliver Holden — Lyrics
Now let the Lord my Savior smile,
And show my name upon his heart,
I would forget my pains awhile,
And in the pleasure lose the smart.
But O, it swells my sorrows high
To see my blessed Jesus frown;
My spirits sink, my comforts die,
And all the springs of life are down.
Yet why, my soul, why these complaints?
Still while he frowns his bowels move;
Still on his heart he bears his saints,
And feels their sorrows and his love.
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About Contentment
Oliver Holden’s Contentment is a devotional anthem for SATB choir. The music sets an English text that explores the complex interplay of human sorrow and divine love. The choir moves between expressions of deep personal pain, particularly when contemplating the Savior’s frown, and the assurance of God’s unwavering affection and remembrance. The lyrics emphasize a profound desire for spiritual inscription—to be held in the heart and book of life of Jesus—over any earthly renown. The SATB setting likely mirrors these emotional shifts through dynamic and textural contrasts, offering a rich and introspective musical experience.
