Lay Hold On the Promise

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There's a word of cheer for each fainting heart

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [There's a word of cheer for each fainting heart]
Published in 2 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 There’s a word of cheer for each fainting heart,
Lay hold on the promise divine;
‘Tis a wondrous word that can grace impart,
Lay hold on the promise divine.

Refrain:
Lay hold on the promise and never let go,
Lay hold on the promise secure;
Tho’ heaven and earth pass away we know
It evermore shall endure;
Lay hold on the promise and never let go,
Lay hold on the promise divine;
It will stand the test, on it you may rest,
Lay hold on the promise divine.

2 He will never leave nor forsake thy soul,
Lay hold on the promise divine;
Ev’ry anxious care on the Master roll,
Lay hold on the promise divine. [Refrain]

3 Have the shadows hid all the way you’ve trod?
Lay hold on the promise divine;
Let you faith reach out to the word of God,
Lay hold on the promise divine. [Refrain]

4 Ev’ry doubt and fear from your heart dispel,
Lay hold on the promise divine;
Ev’rywhere and always it will be well,
Lay hold on the promise divine. [Refrain]

Source: Gospel Gems Number 1 : One Hundred Eighty Sacred Selections for Religious Meetings #18

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Author: Haldor Lillenas

Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Li… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	There's a word of cheer for each fainting heart
Title:	Lay Hold On the Promise
Author:	Haldor Lillenas
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Lay hold on the promise and never let go
Copyright:	Public Domain