Symphony
California Baptist University Choir And Orchestra Lyrics
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Cover'd all over with visible power and beauty,
Alternate light and day and the teeming spiritual darkness,
Unspeakable high processions of sun and moon and countless stars above,
Below, the manifold grass and waters, animals, mountains, trees,
With inscrutable purpose, some hidden prophetic intention,
Now first it seems my thought begins to span thee.
Adam and Eve appear, then their myriad progeny after them,
Wandering, yearning, curious, with restless explorations,
With questionings, baffled, formless, feverish, with never-happy hearts,
With that sad incessant refrain, Wherefore unsatisfied soul? and Whither O mocking life?
Ah who shall soothe these feverish children?
Who Justify these restless explorations?
Who speak the secret of impassive earth?
Who bind it to us? what is this separate Nature so unnatural?
What is this earth to our affections? (unloving earth, without a throb to answer ours, Cold earth, the place of graves.)
Yet soul be sure the first intent remains, and shall be carried out,
Perhaps even now the time has arrived.
After the seas are all cross'd, (as they seem already cross'd,)
After the great captains and engineers have accomplish'd their work,
After the noble inventors, after the scientists, the chemist, the geologist, ethnologist,
Finally shall come the poet worthy that name,
The true son of God shall come singing his songs.
O we can wait no longer,
We too take ship O soul,
Joyous we too launch out on trackless seas,
Fearless for unknown shores on waves of ecstasy to sail,
Amid the wafting winds, (thou pressing me to thee, I thee to me, O soul,)
Caroling free, singing our song of God,
Chanting our chant of pleasant exploration.
O soul thou pleasest me, I thee,
Sailing these seas or on the hills, or waking in the night,
Thoughts, silent thoughts, of Time and Space and Death, like waters flowing,
Bear me indeed as through the regions infinite,
Whose air I breathe, whose ripples hear, lave me all over,
Bathe me O God in thee, mounting to thee,
I and my soul to range in range of thee.
O Thou transcendent,
Nameless, the fibre and the breath,
Light of the light, shedding forth universes, thou centre of them.
Swiftly I shrivel at the thought of God,
At Nature and its wonders, Time and Space and Death,
But that I, turning, call to thee O soul, thou actual Me,
And lo, thou gently masterest the orbs,
Thou matest Time, smilest content at Death,
And fillest, swellest full the vastnesses of Space.
Greater than stars or suns,
Bounding O soul thou journeyest forth
Away O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers -- haul out -- shake out every sail!
Reckless O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me,
Sail forth -- steer for the deep waters only,
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.
O my brave soul!
O farther farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!
The lyrics of "Symphony" by California Baptist University Choir and Orchestra are based on the poem "Passage to India" by Walt Whitman. The song starts with a celebration of the vastness and beauty of the universe, both visible and spiritual, and expresses the wonder of human consciousness being able to comprehend it. Then, the song dives into the human experience, with Adam and Eve and their descendants wandering and searching for answers to the mysteries of life. The song questions the purpose of the earth, the value of nature, and the persisting refrain of unsatisfied souls wondering where to find meaning in life.
Still, the song affirms that the first intent of the universe remains and that the time for a true poet to come and sing the songs of God might already have arrived. The song concludes with a call for the soul to take a risk, to set sail for unexplored realms, to find daring joy while trusting the guidance of a higher power that fills the vastness of space.
Line by Line Meaning
O vast Rondure, swimming in space,
Addressing the vast universe, so powerful and beautiful in all aspects. Consisting of alternate light and darkness, including high processions of sun, moon, and countless stars above, and below with a variety of creatures and vegetation, possessing an inscrutable purpose with hidden prophecy.
Down from the gardens of Asia descending radiating,
Depicting Adam and Eve's descent from the gardens of Asia, radiating with life energy, followed by their countless progeny, exploring the wonders of the world with restless exertions, seeking answers to questions but finding none; that refrain of their unsatisfied soul and mocking life.
Ah who shall soothe these feverish children?
Who can console these restless children, who continue to explore with no end in sight? Who can explain the mysteries of the impassive earth that shares with us this separate Nature that is so unnatural and unresponsive to our affection?
Yet soul be sure the first intent remains, and shall be carried out,
Despite all this, be assured that the original plan still stands and will be carried out; and maybe the time has come for its fulfillment.
O we can wait no longer,
We cannot wait any longer; we must set out on this journey across the trackless seas, filled with joy and those waves of ecstasy, exploring unknown shores fearless, urged on by the wafting winds.
O soul thou pleasest me, I thee,
My soul, you please me, and I reciprocate the feeling. We can be together not just on this journey sailing the seas but also on the hills and in the night waking, experiencing thoughts on time, space, and death, flowing like rivers. These thoughts can take us to infinity's regions while we breathe its air and bathe in its ripples. Bathe me, O God! Let me mount up to thee and range with thee.
O Thou transcendent, Nameless, the fibre and the breath,
Addressing the transcendent and infinite universe, the one who holds everything together and serves as the breath of life in every individual creature, who is ultimately beyond our naming.
Swiftly I shrivel at the thought of God,
Thinking of the Almighty God, all my energy fades out fast, and the thought is too much to bear.
Greater than stars or suns, Bounding O soul thou journeyest forth
My soul travels the world with boundless energy, surpassing even the stars and suns, constantly on its journey, exploring more and more.
Away O soul! hoist instantly the anchor! Cut the hawsers -- haul out -- shake out every sail!
My soul, let's set off, leaving behind all the doubts and disruptions, to embark on this journey with a fearless spirit, hoisting the anchor, cutting the hawsers, and spreading every sail, ready to explore the deep waters.
O my brave soul! O farther farther sail!
Indeed, my brave soul! Let's continue sailing farther and farther, filled with daring joy, reminded that all the seas belong to God, and they are, indeed, safe to explore.
O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God? O farther, farther, farther sail!
Even though the journey is daring and challenging, it is safe, as all the seas are of God. Keep on sailing, my soul, farther and farther, and rejoice in the knowledge that the journey is worth all the effort.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Walt Whitman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
7272roo
0:48 Come Worship God
4:38 Here in your Presence
10:47 Creation Medley
12:07 Threshold of Glory
19:20 We Honor and Bless Your Name
25:40 The Name of the Lord is Great
32:24 The People of God
38:10 Sing it Now
44:30 The Love of God
49:33 He Will Hold Me Fast
56:22 Mary Did you Know?
1:02:25 Psalm 23
1:10:15 Psalm 150
1:16:50 Orchestra Piece
1:20:50 Declare His Glory
1:25:53 Just a Little Talk with Jesus
1:33:49 Clean
1:40:48 Amazing Grace
1:45:10 When We All Get to Heaven
7272roo
0:48 Come Worship God
4:38 Here in your Presence
10:47 Creation Medley
12:07 Threshold of Glory
19:20 We Honor and Bless Your Name
25:40 The Name of the Lord is Great
32:24 The People of God
38:10 Sing it Now
44:30 The Love of God
49:33 He Will Hold Me Fast
56:22 Mary Did you Know?
1:02:25 Psalm 23
1:10:15 Psalm 150
1:16:50 Orchestra Piece
1:20:50 Declare His Glory
1:25:53 Just a Little Talk with Jesus
1:33:49 Clean
1:40:48 Amazing Grace
1:45:10 When We All Get to Heaven
Nealix D.
Great job, many thanks for the time stamps. Never heard that "Sing It Now" before. Sounds great.
Nealix D.
Always love listening to CBU. That "Clean" at 1:33:49 really moves me. And the Choir too, they really all get into it and marvel at the Lord's amazing grace, for sure. Also, never heard that "Sing It Now" at 38:08, really joyful. All the soloists do a great job along with the Choir. Amazing orchestra, love to watch them play their instruments with so much joy, intensity, and commitment.
Nealix D.
I don't know why this one doesn't have about five million likes by now, ha.
Lawrence Pardy
Absolutely awesome! Blessings from New Brunswick, Canada.
Claudio Carvajal
Hermoso concierto!!! Saludos desde Chile
Lanny Hughes
I listen to your sweet music often. It helps me prepare for our worship at Quaker Avenue Church if Christ in Lubbock, TX. We have even used your arrangement of “Behold Our God” in our services. Please continue to share your music. It excites me to know that members of the orchestra and choir are going into the world making disciples. God bless.
Gila Monsta
I can only imagine how this benefits you
Nealix D.
I hear you. My wife and I love listening to CBU. We made a YouTube Playlist and usually throw everything we can find on CBU into it. Sometimes when times are tough, we just listen to it and praise God, and remind ourselves of the beauty of God's creation and how things are meant to be in His grace.
Tanya Dixon
The volume didn't come on until the middle of the video...😣 After that, it was fabulous! You're heading in a "GOD" direction. Thanks for following the Holy Spirit. ✝❤️🎶🎶There are thousands of show choirs, but few with the Holy Spirit as conductor.