My Favorite Hymn

I remember the first time I played my favorite hymn on the harp in a public setting. It was at a church my family and I attended at the time. 

The church had stained glass windows inside, though the windows were nothing compared to other stained glass windows I have seen. 

It was November of 2001, and I was 19 years old. 

I had been playing the harp for exactly 2 years then - a year and a half on my own and about half a year with a professional harp teacher. 

That Sunday morning, I wore my favorite color, medium blue, in a dress with small, white flowers while playing my own arrangement by ear of my favorite hymn: 

 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

I was nervous to play in front of a crowd of about 100 people that morning at church. I was so nervous that I wasn’t sure whether my hands or my harp strings were shaking more. All went well despite my nerves, and the memories of that Sunday morning will stay with me forever. 

My harp teacher had a recital for her harp students around that same time in the music building at Colorado State University where she taught some of her harp students. The crowd there was much smaller with no more than 50 people. 

I did not take my harp lessons there, but I went there for the first time to play in my teacher’s recital. If I remember correctly, that music building also had some beautiful, old windows. The sound of my harp echoed through that room with acoustics that were heavenly. 

I was extremely nervous that day, so nervous I could hardly eat lunch at home before going. Despite my nerves, the recital went well, though I can’t remember everything I played that day. I do remember wearing a dark, rose colored dress with small, white flowers, and I remember playing songs from my two harp books. 

“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” was one, I think. 

Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of my first harp performance at church or of my first harp recital. 

But I played at church a second time a month later during the Christmas season. Someone took a picture of me playing, that time, wearing a dark green dress with small, white flowers I made. 

That Sunday evening I played the familiar carol:

“What Child Is This?”

Playing “White Child Is This?” on my 31 string Gothic Harp.
Age 19. December 2001. 

Such precious memories now, enough to evoke tears. How I loved that first harp of mine, made by Marini Made Harps in natural cherry wood and with a lovely, hand carved rose on it. 

That harp was a gift to me from my parents for my 17th birthday in October of 1999. I owned and treasured that harp for over 20 years. 

One of my favorite songs to play on that harp was my favorite hymn:

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

For years, whenever someone would ask me to play a song on the harp, that was a song I would frequently play. 

And if someone would ever ask me if I had a favorite hymn or song, I would always answer: 

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

The words always touch my heart, and the melody matches the words beautifully. 

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!

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!

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 your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield you;

you will find a solace there.

~ Joseph Scriven 

Such a comfort, these words are, like a healing balm for the soul. For years, this has been my favorite hymn. 

But in more recent years, I have come to love another hymn just as much. 

“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need”

Instinctively, whenever I sit down to play the harp, I usually begin playing a song that I love. 

The hymn “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” has become my new favorite. 

The words are such a comfort and the melody is so beautiful! I love to play this hymn on my large 40 string harp. 

This hymn was written by Isaac Watts and is based on Psalm 23. 

Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar and well loved Psalms out there. Psalm 23 is not just about green pastures and quiet waters. This Psalm also talks about hard and painful things. Things like enemies and death. 

This Psalm mentions so many things that people face in this life - good things and hard things. Guidance. Provision. Renewal. Comfort. Death. Enemies. Goodness. Mercy. God’s Presence.

As we began the year of 2026, I asked the Lord if He had anything special He wanted me to remember for the coming year? 

The simple phrase “The Lord is My Shepherd” was impressed on me once again. 

Like the past several years, God impressed on me that He is my Shepherd. He loves me. He is with me. He is guiding me. 

All I need is to stay close to Him. He will be with me through the good and the hard. 

He is our good Shepherd. 

My Shepherd will supply my need:

Jehovah is His Name;

In pastures fresh He makes me feed,

Beside the living stream.

He brings my wandering spirit back

When I forsake His ways,

And leads me, for His mercy's sake,

In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death

Thy presence is my stay;

One word of Thy supporting breath

Drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,

Doth still my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,

Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God

Attend me all my days;

O may Thy house be my abode,

And all my work be praise.

There would I find a settled rest,

While others go and come;

No more a stranger, nor a guest,

But like a child at home.

~ Isaac Watts