- President Russell M. Nelson's hymn "Our Prayer to Thee" joins the new hymnbook release.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aims for global inclusivity with diverse song additions.
- The printed hymnbook will be available in four languages by mid-2027, with other languages to follow.
SALT LAKE CITY — A hymn with lyrics written by President Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is among the latest batch of songs released for the church's new hymnbook.
President Nelson wrote the lyrics to "Our Prayer to Thee," which was published in the "Ensign" — now known as the "Liahona" — magazine in 2003. The hymn was performed at general conferences in October 2018 and April 2022, according to a church statement.
"It's a super, super special song," said hymnbook singer Emily Winters,18, who sings on the new batch's English recordings. "It's very sacred, talking about us and God. It's a beautiful representation of our relationship."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first announced the revision of the hymnbook in June 2018, asking for submissions and suggestions from members worldwide. The new version aims to "reflect the needs of members around the world" — a nod to the organization's ever-more global reach and growing membership outside the U.S.
Since the announcement, songs for "Hymns—For Home and Church" have been released in batches. The hymnbook will have 375 hymns and children's songs and is expected to be printed in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese by mid-2027, while also being gradually released in 50 languages.
Thursday's release includes 12 additions to the "Hymns—For Home and Church" collection. The newest hymns are:
- "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends"
- "Help Us Remember"
- "How Did the Savior Minister?"
- "Jesus Is the Way"
- "Can You Count the Stars in Heaven?"
- "He Cares for Me"
- "Our Prayer to Thee"
- "Joseph Prayed in Faith"
- "Stand by Me"
- "This Day Is a Good Day, Lord"
- "Go Tell It on the Mountain"
- "Little Baby in a Manger"
These additions bring the total "Hymns—For Home and Church" collection to 60 songs in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. The release also includes 15 new hymns in German, Korean and Tagalog, for a total of 37 in those languages, the church said.
"We hope that as people (sing) these songs, they feel closer to Jesus Christ," said Elder Matthew L. Carpenter of the Seventy, an advisor on the committee overseeing the new hymnbook. "And by singing these new songs, people become acquainted with them, and they'll remember them for the rest of their lives. And by doing that, they will feel like they are closer to Jesus Christ."
This batch of songs adds to the more globalized feel of the new hymnbook, with "Jesus Is the Way," a popular hymn from the current Tongan hymnbook, and the well-loved German children's song "Can You Count the Stars in Heaven?" Additionally, "Stand by Me" and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" are both African American spirituals that are well known and beloved across Christianity, the church said.
The songs will soon be available on the online Music Library, Gospel Library and Sacred Music app, with lyrics in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Church officials also announced the Sacred Music app will be retiring in January, but the app's features are being integrated into the Gospel Library app.
