Kingdom Songs

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Kingdom Songs are the religious songs used by Jehovah's Witnesses. Currently 225 songs are in common use. In earlier decades the words were sometimes set to established hymn tunes or themes from classical music; but, beginning with the next-most-recent song-book from 1966, Singing and Accompanying Yourselves with Music in Your Hearts, only original music composed especially for the purpose was used, and this practice has continued in the current song-book from 1984, Sing Praises to Jehovah.

The orchestral arrangements of these songs are called Kingdom Melodies; they take many liberties with the original form of the songs, and so are not suitable for singing to, but are intended for listening.

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Previous song books 1.2 Current Song Book 2 The songs 3 Uses 4 Orchestral arrangements 5 Song Titles 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Background

In the beginning the Bible Students used many well-known songs and hymns. They also used well-known melodies to their own texts. These melodies were often works by many famous composers, including Ludwig van Beethoven and Joseph Haydn. Since then the practice of using music at their gatherings has gone through many developments. In the end of the 1930s they stopped practising singing as a regular element at the local meetings. In 1944 the practice was reintroduced, and from this moment on they put much more work in making the entire song collection characteristic of Jehovah's Witnesses. The melodies and texts today have all been made by people who have been members of the congregation themselves.

[edit] Previous song books

Their first song book, Songs of the Bride, was published in 1879. This was a collection of 144 songs. The next was Poems and Hymns of the Millennial Dawn from 1890, with 151 poems and 333 songs, most of which were well-known compositions. This was followed up with with 11 song texts appearing in the 1 February issue of The Watchtower in 1896, written by members of the denomination. Another collection was released in 1900, with 81 songs, many being written by a single individual. In 1905, a songbook was released, including the 333 songs published in 1890, with musical notation. This book was released in a number of other languages, mainly in a shortened version. In 1925, they published a book, Kingdom Hymns, with 80 songs, especially made for children and youths. In 1928 they published the songbook, Songs of Praise to Jehovah, which included 337 songs, some new and some old.^[1]

Kingdom Service Song Book was released before 1944, including 62 songs.

This was followed by the release of Songs to Jehovah's Praise in 1950, with 91 songs. Some of the music was relatively newly written (and continued into later song-books, including the current one), but some tunes were established hymn-tunes as found in other churches, or, in one or two cases, based on themes from classical music (for example, Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 23 in F minor, op. 57 ("Appassionata")).

Singing and Accompanying Yourselves with Music in Your Hearts was released in 1966, with 119 songs. Melodies that were found to be of origins outside the congregation were replaced, as, for the first time, a policy was adopted of including only material written and composed by Jehovah's Witnesses, though some songs composed by non-Witnesses were unwittingly included.^[2] Some of this Witness-written material consisted of older songs retained from the previous song-book, and much of it consisted of many new songs appearing for the first time.

[edit] Current Song Book

In 1984, the current song book, Sing Praises to Jehovah, was released, which includes 225 songs. It was subsequently introduced in many other languages. Two songs had the melodies changed.^[2] Various textual revisions also took place. In addition, a few more songs were dropped from the previous book which had been found not to have been written by members of Jehovah's Witnesses. Several dozen new songs appeared for the first time in this book.

Many songs in the current book were present in the previous two books, with small changes made to many songs, as well as some more significant changes in a few. The musical arrangements have become progressively more elaborate and complex, and some of them are for the first time in pianistic arrangements, instead of the traditional four-part choral style used in the previous two song-books, similarly to most standard hymn-books.

[edit] The songs

The 225 songs currently in use are about all aspects of Christian service. All song titles are connected with a scripture.

The names of the text authors and composers do not occur in the song book, in the same manner as the writers of their other publications are kept anonymous. The original material, both words and music, is published anonymously, though, at times, the Witnesses have revealed the circumstances and authorship of a song.^[3][4]

Musically, the songs show a great variety: while all have a certain dignity, they express many different feelings or sentiments, some solemn, some gentle, and some melancholy. Some of the songs are march-like, some hymn-like; some are more animated, and others have a waltz-like lilt.

In technical aspects like harmony, rhythm, and tonality, the songs are very innovative by the usual standards of songs or hymns intended for congregational use. Quite complex harmonies drawn from the late-romantic period of music are sometimes used; some of the songs modulate to more distant keys than one would normally expect in songs of this type; a few songs have their verses and refrain in different, unrelated keys (for example, an E-flat-major verse coupled with a C-major refrain); one of the songs is in quintuple rhythm (5/4 metre); a few songs have their verses and refrain in different metres or tempos (for example C followed by 3/4; 9/8 followed by 3/4). This adventurousness in musical technique is greatly expanded yet further in the Kingdom Melodies orchestrated versions, which are not always in the same keys as the corresponding original songs.

Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to appreciate their religious music, and to respect the songs as part of their worship. That means, for example, that the songs shall not be adapted to pop and rock versions.^[5]

[edit] Uses

Normally three songs are sung at the congregational meetings. A piano recording on CD is played along while the congregation sings. Meetings open and close with a song and prayer, and the two sections of the meeting are parted by the singing of a song. Songs are chosen of which themes match the program of the meetings. Usually the songs opening the ministry school, the service meeting and the Watchtower study are chosen by the organization. The songs of the Watchtower study can be read in the issue of The Watchtower that is used, and the ones of the service meetings are written in the issues of Our Kingdom Ministry. The song of the public talk, on its hand, is normally chosen by the speaker himself. Songs are also used at assemblies and conventions, and sometimes at different happenings in Bethel. These accompaniments for singing, however, are all orchestral. Older ones use a full orchestra, while relatively recent or new ones use strings or other individual instruments.

[edit] Orchestral arrangements

Kingdom Melodies is the name of a series of music recordings issued by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and consists of orchestral arrangements of the Kingdom songs.

The earlier recordings in the series were from the 1966 song book Singing and Accompanying Yourselves With Music in Your Hearts, and the later ones from the song book Sing Praises to Jehovah, which since 1984 has been the source of songs sung by Jehovah's Witnesses at meetings in their Kingdom Halls. The 1984 song book is in effect a much expanded version of the 1966 one, with a few songs dropped which were discovered not to have been written by members of Jehovah's Witnesses, and the 1966 book ceased to be used once the 1984 one was published. (Since the 1960s, Jehovah's Witnesses' practice has been to use only songs whose music and words were written by members of the organization, and thus none of the songs are to be found in any publications outside Jehovah's Witnesses' song books.)

Installments in the Kingdom Melodies recordings were issued in cassette form annually during the 1980s; a couple of them were rerecorded some years later in revised form, in order to drop a few songs which were in Singing and Accompanying Yourselves With Music in Your Hearts, but not in Sing Praises to Jehovah. Apart from dropping the obsolete songs, the new versions of these recordings are rearranged to some extent, but fairly closely resemble the earlier ones.

The entire series was reissued in C.D. form some years later, with only the later versions of the recordings which were revised being included in this edition; so the original versions of those only ever appeared earlier in cassette form, and are not published by the Watchtower Society any longer, and are thus probably quite scarce now. The earlier versions and their revisions are not marked or labelled in any way as different editions, apart from the cited copyright years being different (out of sequence for the revised editions).

Jehovah's Witnesses' songs, even in their original versions for singing to, are not all that much like conventional hymns in style, and tend to be both lighter and more varied in style and harmonic idiom. It is not uncommon for some of the songs to be march-like in style, or in waltz tempo, or to have some stylistic elements in common with musical comedy, and this variety of styles is transferred into the Kingdom Melodies arrangements. One of the songs is even in quintuple rhythm (5/4 metre); a few have the verse and refrain in different, unrelated keys.

The orchestral arrangements in the "Kingdom Melodies" arrangements are just instrumental arrangements, without singing, and are very much in the light orchestral music style, and treat the songs with considerable freedom, and so they are more suitable for listening to light, pleasant music than for singing to. The arrangements themselves are quite elaborate: very romantic and lush, colourful, and atmospheric, making much use of distinctive orchestral colour and unusual harmony, at times to the point of being reminiscent of film music. Certain episodes draw quite markedly on the harmonic and orchestral techniques of late-romantic or impressionistic music.

The individual tracks tend to consist of several different songs linked together into a short medley, with interludes between them which may be based on motifs from the songs, but not exactly quoting them. Solo piano parts with the orchestra accompanying appear in some of the tracks.

These recordings are normally distributed only by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, either directly by mail or in Kingdom Halls, and are not sold in the usual retail outlets, with the possible exception of some sellers of second-hand recordings. They are of obvious value to Jehovah's Witnesses who know the songs well from their meetings, and who may at times like to listen to light orchestral arrangements of them; but they can be listened to simply as light orchestral music, without religious connotations being obvious to those not familiar with the songs. In addition, the piano recordings used for congregational singing are also available through mail or ordering direct from a Kingdom Hall. Assembly accompaniments, however, are not made available.

The series ended with most, but not quite all, of the 225 songs in the current song book included in one or other of the recordings. It is not clear whether another recording will be issued including the remaining songs. Quite likely one or two more installments would suffice to cover the remaining songs.

[edit] Song Titles

1 “Bless Jehovah, O My Soul” (Psalm 103)

2 Obeying God Rather Than Men (Acts 5:29)

3 Gaining Victory Over the World (John 16:33)

4 God’s Promise of Paradise (Luke 23:43)

5 All Creation, Praise Jehovah! (Psalm 148)

6 Declare the Everlasting Good News (Revelation 14:6-8)

7 The Hope of Mankind’s Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10)

8 Loyally Submitting to Theocratic Order (1 Corinthians 14:33)

9 Jehovah’s Blessing Makes Rich (Proverbs 10:22)

10 Be Steadfast, Unmovable! (1 Corinthians 15:58)

11 The Shulammite Remnant (Song of Solomon 6:13)

12 “God Loves a Cheerful Giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

13 Christian Dedication (Exodus 39:30)[1]

14 “Be Glad, You Nations”! (Romans 15:10)

15 Life Without End—At Last! (John 3:16)

16 Be Joyful for the Kingdom Hope! (Romans 15:10-13)

17 Jehovah’s “Dewdrops” Among Many Peoples (Psalm 110:3)

18 Bless Our Christian Brotherhood (1 Peter 2:17)

19 Joyful All Day Long (Psalm 32:11)

20 Sing the Song of Kingdom Cheer (Psalm 96:1, 10)

21 Hail Jehovah’s Kingdom! (Revelation 11:17)

22 Heeding Jude’s Message (Jude 21)

23 The Bible’s Hope for Mankind (Romans 12:12)

24 “No Part of the World” (John 17:16)[2]

25 God’s Pretty Things (Ecclesiastes 3:11)[3]

26 Meeting God’s Requirements (Revelation 12:17)

27 Fear Them Not! (Matthew 10:28)

28 Bless Our Meeting Together (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

29 Forward, You Witnesses! (Luke 16:16)[4]

30 “Zealous for Fine Works” (Titus 2:14) [5]

31 Zeal for Jehovah’s House (John 2:17)

32 “From House to House” (Acts 20:20)

33 “Jehovah Himself Has Become King!” (Psalm 97:1)

34 Living Up to Our Name (Psalm 97:1)[6]

35 Love’s Excelling Way (1 Corinthians 13) [7]

36 “Happy Are the Mild-Tempered” (Matthew 5:5)

37 Making a Good Name With God (Ecclesiastes 7:1)

38 Displaying Loyalty (Psalm 18:25)

39 God’s Warriors Are Advancing (1 Timothy 6:12)

40 Making Our Way Successful (Joshua 1:8)[8]

41 Praise Jehovah, the Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4)

42 “This Is the Way” (Isaiah 30:20, 21)

43 Forward, You Ministers of the Kingdom! (2 Timothy 4:5)

44 Jehovah Really Cares (1 Peter 5:7)

45 A Prayer of Thanksgiving (Psalm 65:2)[9]

46 The Scriptures—Inspired and Beneficial (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

47 Jehovah, Our Strength and Our Might (Isaiah 12:2)

48 Give Jehovah the Praise (Matthew 5:12)

49 Great God, Jehovah! (Psalm 95:3)

50 Responding to God’s Love (1 John 4:11)

51 Making Jehovah’s Heart Glad (Proverbs 27:11)[10]

52 Our Father’s Name (Matthew 6:9)

53 Theocracy’s Increase (Isaiah 9:6, 7)

54 We Must Be Holy (1 Peter 1:15, 16)

55 Daily Walking With Jehovah (Micah 6:8)

56 Bravely Press On (1 Timothy 1:12)

57 Jehovah’s Happy People (Psalm 89:15)

58 Jehovah, “the God of All Comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

59 Appreciating God’s Reminders (Psalm 119)

60 God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years (Revelation 20:4-6)

61 “I Am Jehovah”! (Isaiah 42:8)

62 Happy, the Merciful! (Matthew 5:7)

63 Let the Light Shine (Matthew 5:16)

64 Faith Like That of Abraham (Genesis 22:1-18)

65 Meeting in Unity (Psalm 133)

66 The Power of Kindness (Romans 2:4)

67 Store Up Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20)

68 Godly Compassion (Colossians 3:12)

69 Godly Devotion With Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)

70 Be Like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:7, 18)

71 Hold Fast the Good News! (1 Corinthians 15:2)

72 The Joys and Fruits of Kingdom Service (Matthew 5:12)

73 “Wisdom Is With the Modest Ones” (Proverbs 11:2)

74 Jehovah, Provider of Escape (Psalm 18:1, 2)[11]

75 Joyful Praise to Jehovah (Psalm 63:5)

76 Jehovah, Our Best Friend (Isaiah 41:8)

77 “Jehovah Is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23)[12]

78 Speaking the “Pure Language” (Zephaniah 3:9)[13]

79 Creation Reveals Jehovah’s Glory (Psalm 19) [14]

80 Walking in the Name of Our God (Micah 4:5)

81 Gratitude for Divine Patience (2 Peter 3:15) [15]

82 The Women Are a Large Army (Psalm 68:11)

83 Zion’s Reason for Rejoicing (Isaiah 66:8)

84 God’s Great and Wondrous Works (Revelation 15:3)

85 Jehovah Is Our Refuge (Psalm 91:1, 2)

86 Cultivating the Fruit of Love (1 Corinthians 13:8)

87 The Lord’s Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) [16]

88 The Prayer of God’s Servant (James 3:17)

89 The Divine Pattern of Love (1 John 4:19)

90 Worshiping Jehovah, the Sovereign Lord (Isaiah 2:3)

91 Being Taught by Jehovah (Isaiah 54:13)

92 Preach With Boldness (Acts 4:13)

93 Jehovah’s Lovely Place of Worship (Psalm 84:1)

94 King of Eternity, Sanctify Your Name! (Ezekiel 38:23)

95 The Fruit of Goodness (Galatians 5:22)

96 Glorifying Our Father, Jehovah (John 17:4)

97 Jehovah’s Attributes (Revelation 4:11) [17]

98 Contending for the Faith (Jude 3)

99 God’s Unfolding “Eternal Purpose” (Ephesians 3:11)

100 Laud Jehovah Our God! (Jeremiah 33:11)

101 Showing Concern for “the Flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2)

102 The Resurrection Joy (Revelation 20:13)

103 Throw Your Burden on Jehovah (Psalm 55:22)

104 A Song to the Most High (Psalm 47:2)

105 Hail Jehovah’s Firstborn! (Hebrews 1:6)[18]

106 Let’s Watch How We Walk (Ephesians 5:15) [19]

107 Sing Jehovah’s Praise With Courage! (2 Chronicles 20:21)

108 Jehovah’s Word Is Faithful (Joshua 23:14)

109 Life Everlasting Is Promised (Psalm 37:29)

110 Be Forgiving (Ephesians 4:32)

111 The Light Gets Brighter (Proverbs 4:18)

112 Then They Will Know (Ezekiel 35:15)

113 We Are Jehovah’s Witnesses! (Isaiah 43:10-12)

114 God’s Loyal Love (Isaiah 55:1-3)

115 “Have Intense Love for One Another” (1 Peter 4:8)[20]

116 “You Must Assist Those Who Are Weak” (Acts 20:35)[21]

117 Marriage—God’s Arrangement (Matthew 19:4-6)[22]

118 Supporting God’s House (Malachi 3:10)

119 Holding Fast to “the Happy Hope” (Titus 2:13)

120 Be Steadfast Like Ruth (Ruth 1:15-17)

121 The Truth That Sets Men Free (John 8:32)

122 Conducting Ourselves as “a Lesser One” (Luke 9:48)

123 Move Ahead! (Hebrews 6:1)

124 The Fruit of Self-Control (Galatians 5:23)

125 “Jehovah Is on My Side” (Psalm 118:6)

126 Proclaiming Kingdom Truth (Matthew 10:7)

127 Myriads of Brothers (Revelation 7:9)

128 Do More—As the Nazirites Did (Numbers 6:8)

129 Now’s the Time! (Mark 13:10)

130 Joyful Service (Psalm 32:11)

131 Cleaving to Jehovah Our God (Joshua 23:8)

132 Guard Your Heart (Proverbs 4:23)

133 Sowing Kingdom Seed (Matthew 13:4-8, 19-23)

134 “Carry On as Men” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

135 Jehovah, Our Place of Dwelling (Psalm 90:1)

136 Loyal Worshipers Bless Jehovah (Psalm 18:25)

137 The Appointed Time Nears (Habakkuk 2:3)

138 O Walk With God! (Micah 6:8)

139 Listen to the News of the Kingdom (Isaiah 55:7)

140 Waiting on Jehovah (Lamentations 3:22-27)

141 Jehovah’s Holy Nation (Isaiah 66:8) [23]

142 Creation’s Hope of Liberation (Romans 8:21)

143 Take Sides With Jehovah! (Exodus 32:26)

144 We Must Have the Faith (Hebrews 10:39)

145 Be Long-Suffering (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

146 Flee to God’s Kingdom! (Zephaniah 2:3)

147 Never-Failing Treasures (Matthew 6:20)

148 Exalting Our God the King (Psalm 145:1)

149 “It Is Impossible for God to Lie” (Hebrews 6:18)

150 The Bread From Heaven (John 6:51)

151 This Good News of the Kingdom Let Us Preach (Matthew 24:14)

152 Appreciating God’s Compassions (Romans 11:33-35)

153 Jehovah, the God of Our Salvation (Psalm 85:7)

154 Jehovah, Our Creator (Isaiah 42:5)

155 “Welcome One Another”! (Romans 15:7)

156 “I Want To” (Luke 5:13)

157 Worship Jehovah During Youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

158 Our Christian Unity (Ephesians 4:13)

159 Our Possession of Peace (John 14:27)

160 Walking in Integrity (Psalm 26:1)

161 Pray to Jehovah Each Day (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

162 “Preach the Word”! (2 Timothy 4:2)

163 The Fruitage of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23)

164 Children—Precious Gifts From God (Psalm 127:3, 4)

165 Praise Jah With Me! (Psalm 145:21)

166 See Jehovah’s Army! (Joel 2:7)

167 Thanks to the Giver of Life (Psalm 36:9)

168 Recognizing Earth’s New King (Psalm 2:12)

169 The New Song (Psalm 98:1)

170 “Let God Be Found True” (Romans 3:4)

171 A Victory Song (Exodus 15:1)

172 Keep On Seeking First the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)

173 Love—A Perfect Bond of Union (Colossians 3:14)

174 Stay Awake, Stand Firm, Grow Mighty (1 Corinthians 16:13)[24]

175 The Heavens Declare God’s Glory (Psalm 19:1)

176 Welcome the Incoming King! (Psalm 24:7)

177 What Sort of Persons Ought We to Be? (2 Peter 3:11)

178 The Excelling “Peace of God” (Philippians 4:7)

179 On Jehovah We Must Wait (Romans 8:19)

180 God’s Own Book—A Treasure (Proverbs 2:1)

181 Join in the Kingdom Song! (Psalm 98:1)

182 “Balsam in Gilead” (Jeremiah 8:22)

183 Youth’s Place in God’s Arrangement (Psalm 148:12, 13)

184 Loving Shepherds Tend God’s “Sheep” (1 Peter 5:2)

185 The Resurrection—God’s Loving Provision (John 11:25)

186 Our Godly Joy (Philippians 4:4)

187 All Things Made New (Revelation 21:4)

188 The Gift of Prayer (1 Timothy 2:8)

189 Proclaiming Jehovah’s Day of Vengeance (Isaiah 61:2)

190 A Song to Jehovah (Psalm 92:1, 2)

191 Make the Truth Your Own (2 Corinthians 4:2)

192 Making Known the Kingdom Truth (Acts 20:20, 21)

193 Preach “This Good News of the Kingdom”! (Matthew 24:14)

194 Enter Jehovah’s Temple Courtyards! (Psalm 100:4)

195 This Is Jehovah’s Day (Psalm 118:24)

196 Jehovah’s Dedicated Ones (John 10:16)

197 Make Melody to Jehovah! (Psalm 47:6)

198 Getting to Know Our God (John 17:3)

199 “The Scene of This World Is Changing” (1 Corinthians 7:31) [25]

200 Proof of Discipleship (John 13:34, 35)[26]

201 Rejoicing With God’s Nation (Psalm 106:5)

202 To God We Are Dedicated! (Exodus 39:30)

203 Jehovah Leads His People (Psalm 31:3)

204 “Here I Am! Send Me” (Isaiah 6:8)

205 Christ Our Exemplar (1 Peter 2:21)

206 “Rejoice in the Hope” (Romans 12:12)

207 To Whom Do We Belong? (1 Corinthians 6:20)

208 A Song of Rejoicing (Revelation 11:15)

209 Follow the Warrior King! (Ephesians 6:16, 17)

210 “Make Sure of the More Important Things” (Philippians 1:10)[27]

211 Sharing Joyfully in the Harvest (Matthew 9:37, 38)

212 We Thank You, Jehovah (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

213 Working Together in Unity (Ephesians 4:3)

214 Following God’s Way of Life (Proverbs 9:10, 11)

215 Extending Mercy to Others (Luke 6:36)

216 “Have Tender Affection” (Romans 12:10)

217 Gaining Jehovah’s Friendship (Psalm 15:1, 2)

218 With Christ in Paradise (Luke 23:43)

219 Jehovah’s Heavenly Throne (Revelation 4)

220 Our Paradise: Present and Future (2 Corinthians 12:4)

221 Youths! Imitate Their Faith (Hebrews 6:12)

222 Keep Your Eyes on the Prize! (2 Corinthians 4:18)

223 Your Loyal Ones Will Bless You (Psalm 145:10)

224 “Take My Yoke” (Matthew 11:28-30)

225 Drawing Close to Jehovah (Psalm 73:28)

[edit] See also

• Kingdom Hall
• Beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses

[edit] References

• Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, chapter 16
• Watchtower 1986, October 15