While many of us have a favorite hymn from the beautifully inspired hymns of praise that have touched our hearts and brought tears to our eyes, The Songs of Zion are unique to our Church. They are songs that belong to a new time; they belong to a new era; they belong to our people. They are songs sent from the throne of God as a gift to The Church of Jesus Christ. They are inspirational and related to Christ and His promises of the latter-day times and events. This gift was given to our late Sister Arlene Buffington, as our songs of hope and joy, looking forward to the fulfillment of the kingdom of Zion, bathed in the latter-day glory of the restoration.

Today’s focus is No. 181, “He’s My Rock.” Let’s start by looking at the meaning and application of the song, because it’s too easy to sing without paying attention to the words and their meaning. 

VERSE 1

The Lord, He is my portion, He’s my share and He’s my part, The only wealth that I possess is Jesus in my heart, My hope is only in the Lord, my stay is in His love, Tho earthly friends may turn away I have this friend above.

CHORUS 

For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend, For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.

• This verse takes a simple and straightforward position. It’s about a choice we have in this life: Either we choose to rely on Jesus as our everything, or we choose to rely on the world to be our everything! 
• As the writer of Lamentations 3:24 states, “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore, will I hope in Him.”
• Because as the chorus says, “For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.”

VERSE 2

Tho storms of life may come and go and trials take a toll, But still the love of Jesus is a constant in my soul, No matter where my pathway leads He’s never far away, For all the love He’s given me I’ll thank Him ev’ry day.

CHORUS

For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend, For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.

• While challenges are before us, and though they often leave scars and pain, we’re reminded of the love of God that sustains us through it all.
• “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:20)
• Because as the chorus says, “For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.”

VERSE 3

The Lord, He is my confidence, my portion and my part, He lives way up in heaven and so dearly in my heart, He is my strength in trouble and in all the coming days, For He’s my song each morning and at night my song of praise.

CHORUS

For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend, For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.

• Jesus is our strength that we can rely on in times of trouble. 
• Jesus is part of us and we’re part of Him. We’re in it together no matter what our future holds, and we’ll never stop praising him in the songs we sing.
• Because as the chorus says, “For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.”

VERSE 4

The Lord, He’s my inheritance, my treasure and my cup, And when I’m feeling empty He is there to fill it up, And when I’m feeling troubled then His arms are open wide, The rock of my salvation is the place I run to hide.

CHORUS

For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend, For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.

• David wrote in Psalms 16:5, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.” In this context, “cup” in Hebrew translates as “something that belongs.” We have freely been given Christ, and He “belongs to us” when we commit ourselves to Him!
• “For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand.” (Alma 5:58)
• Because as the chorus says, “For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend.”

 ©2008 Arlene Lea Buffington

The repeating chorus simply reinforces the message: For He’s my rock, my confidence, my friend. 

And if you had to repeat something over and over again, in your heart and mind, this chorus simply speaks of the love Jesus has for us in red letters: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:13-14)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.