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. 10, “I’ll Stand on That.” We’ll look at the meaning and application of the song, because it’s too easy to sing without paying attention to the words and their meaning.

As with most Sunday mornings, I follow my typical Sunday morning routine. Now don’t get the idea that a routine is bad; in fact, some routines can be very comforting. I personally love my Sunday morning routine that I’ve pretty much followed for over 40 years. I typically get up early, get dressed and ready for church, listen to hymns, and read scripture. We try to get to church before Sunday school starts because I personally hate rushing around and being late. And while I love studying scripture with the saints, listening to a sermon, singing and our testimony meetings, my personal favorite time is sacrament. It’s an intimate time when, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, I can consider the great love God had for me by sending His only begotten Son to die for my sins!

I often reflect on the day of my baptism and how I had nothing but filthy rags to give the Lord in return for the white robe, unspotted and pure, He gave me. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

But this past Sunday, during this reverent time, as I patiently waited for the elder to serve me, the pianist began to play this song:

10. I’LL STAND ON THAT

VERSE 1
I have not seen the hand of God,
I never walked heights many trod,
On mountain tops I never sat,
But God loves me; I’ll stand on that.

VERSE 2
The wealth of life was not my aim,
I never had amazing fame.
I never saw my Saviour’s face.
But I can stand, for I’ve seen grace.

VERSE 3
I’ve never seen a heav’nly sight,
But Jesus washed my garment white.
And visions never came to me,
But I can stand; by faith I see.

VERSE 4
I never met Apostle Paul,
But I’ve met some who gave their all.
I never knew the dead to raise,
But I can stand and sing God’s praise.

CHORUS
On thrones of gold I never sat,
But God loves me;
I’ll stand on that.

©1980 Arlene Lea Buffington

This song reminded me, that while most of us have never seen the hand of God or even His finger as the brother of Jared saw, “And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood” (Ether 3:6). And even though we may not have seen this with our own eyes, we know that God loves us and we stand on that!

Likewise, fame was never my aim, but Jesus gained great fame as He worked many miracles: “And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee” (Mark 1:28). And even though we may not have great fame, we know that God loves us; and we stand on that!

Unlike Lehi, many of us have never seen a heavenly sight: “And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God. And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day” (1 Nephi 1:8-9). And even though we may not see heaven sights, we’re confident that God loves us; and we stand on that!

And finally, unlike the Apostle Paul, few of us have witnessed or been used to restore life to the dead: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight… And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him” (Acts 20:7-10). And even though we may not have personally seen the dead raise, we’ve felt God’s love; and we stand on that!

The chorus references thrones of gold, but even King Solomon in all his glory, who sat on a throne made of ivory, overlaid with gold (1 Kings 10:18), it doesn’t compare to the love of God that was shown to you and I through the sacrifice of Jesus, who bore our sins that we might have eternal life, if we but choose to follow Him and His commandments! Let us stand on that!

May God bless you

And, if you’re interested in learning more about the Songs of Zion or just listening to the songs, here’s a link to the Songs of Zion website: https://thesongsofzion.com/

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.