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Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning
Hymn Information
- First Line
- Keep your lamps trimmed and burning
- Text Source
- African American spiritual
- Tune Name
- KEEP YOUR LAMPS
- Tune Source
- African American spiritual · Arr. <cite>New Hymns and Songs</cite>
- Topic
- Daily Prayer: Night · Discipleship · Eternal Life · Jesus Christ: Miracles · Jesus Christ: Teachings of
Copyright Information
- Text Copyright
- Public Domain
- Tune Copyright
- Arr. © 2003 Augsburg Fortress
- Reprint/Projection Information
- Words and Music: Permitted with a license from OneLicense.net. If you do not own this license, please contact the copyright holder for permission.
Full Text
Scripture References
Further Reflections on Scripture References
The reference is to Luke 12:35 ff., Christ’s parable in Matthew 25:1-13, and the exhortations of Paul in I Thessalonians 5:1-11.
Confessions and Statements of Faith References
Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References
The entire spirit of this song is expectancy and readiness, cultivated by the awareness that the “time is drawing nigh” and Jesus Christ will soon return and bring the final consummation. Our World Belongs to God, paragraph 57 declares: “We live confidently, anticipating his coming, offering him our daily lives – our acts of kindness, our loyalty, and our love—knowing that he will weave even our sins and sorrows into his sovereign purpose.”
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| KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING (Lift Up Your Hearts 119)
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119
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning
Introductory/Framing Text
Many African American spirituals are based on themes from the Hebrew Scriptures. This one, however, is based on the New Testament parable of the bridesmaids, found in Matthew 25:1-13.
This spiritual is possibly one of the code songs in which to keep one’s lamp “trimmed and burning” could have meant keeping a lookout for a conductor of the underground railroad, such as Harriet Tubman.
By tradition, a leader may call out substitute words for the refrain, such as “Christians don’t grow weary, Christians don’t grow weary,…” etc., or “people,” “preacher,” or any other words that may be appropriate.
This spiritual is possibly one of the code songs in which to keep one’s lamp “trimmed and burning” could have meant keeping a lookout for a conductor of the underground railroad, such as Harriet Tubman.
By tradition, a leader may call out substitute words for the refrain, such as “Christians don’t grow weary, Christians don’t grow weary,…” etc., or “people,” “preacher,” or any other words that may be appropriate.
The New Century Hymnal Companion, Pilgrim Press, 1998, p. 396
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New Century Hymnal Companion
119
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning
Tune Information
- Name
- KEEP YOUR LAMPS
- Key
- f minor
- Meter
- irregular
Recordings
You can view this hymn by purchasing it in our Lift Up Your Hearts mobile app.
Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot display this hymn on our website or provide printable copies of it.
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