The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ … Read Full Bio ↴The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Since July 15, 1929, the choir has performed a weekly radio broadcast called Music and the Spoken Word which is the longest-running continuous network broadcast in the world. The show has been televised since the early 1960s and is now broadcast worldwide through some 1,500 radio, television, and cable stations.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.

The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.

Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.

God So Loved The World
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics

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God so loved the world,
God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoso believeth, believeth in him,
should not perish, should not perish,
but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;
God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved.

God so loved the world,
God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoso believeth, believeth in him,
should not perish, should not perish,
but have everlasting life, everlasting life,
everlasting, everlasting life.

God so loved the world,
God so loved the world,

God so loved the world.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "God So Loved The World" by Mormon Tabernacle Choir talk about the ultimate sacrifice made by God when He sent His only Son to the world to save humanity. The lyrics are a reference to the biblical verse John 3:16, which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The song emphasizes the great love God has for the world and the offer of salvation through belief in Christ. The lyrics negate the idea of God condemning the world and instead focus on His love and grace. The phrase "should not perish, but have everlasting life" reaffirms the idea that the gift of eternal life is available to all who believe in God and the salvation offered through Christ.

The song's message is simple yet profound, reminding listeners of the depth of God's love for the world and the ultimate sacrifice He made to offer salvation. The lyrics encourage believers to cling to their faith and trust in God's love, even amid times of struggle and doubt. Overall, the song serves as a source of comfort and hope for those seeking spiritual guidance and inspiration.

Line by Line Meaning

God so loved the world,
The Lord loved the entire world, every living being and every creation on this planet.

that he gave his only begotten Son,
He loved the world so much that he sent his only son - Jesus Christ - to enlighten and uplift people.

that whoso believeth, believeth in him,
All those who believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and follow his footsteps will be blessed and saved by God.

should not perish, should not perish,
Through belief in Jesus Christ, people will not suffer or perish but will find internal peace and solace.

but have everlasting life.
Those who find belief and peace in God will live an everlasting life and be blessed with inner peace.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
God didn't send Jesus Christ to punish or criticize people, but to enlighten and guide them on the right path.

but that the world through him might be saved.
God sent Jesus Christ to save people and make this world a better place to live by removing hatred, conflict, and sickness.

but have everlasting life, everlasting life,
Belief in God will grant you a life of never-ending and eternal bliss and joy.

everlasting, everlasting life.
This phrase further emphasizes the idea of life never ending and being everlasting.

God so loved the world,
The song concludes with a reiterated statement that God loves the world unconditionally and wants to bless all living beings.

Contributed by Sadie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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