The Music & the Spoken Word broadcast airs live via TV, radio, and internet stream on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. mountain time. For information on other airtimes, visit “Airing Schedules” at musicandthespokenword.org.

Music

Conductor: Mack Wilberg
Organist: Brian Mathias
Announcer: Lloyd Newell
Featuring Sissel

“Glory to God on High”
Music: Felice de Giardini
Lyrics: James Allen
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“For the Beauty of the Earth”¹
Music: John Rutter
Lyrics: Cecil Frances Alexander

“This Is My Father's World” ^2,3,4
Music:  English melody adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard
Lyrics: Maltbie D. Babcock
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Flute Solo” (organ solo)
Music: Thomas Arne

“Slow Down”
Music and Lyrics: Chuck Girard
Arrangement: Sam Cardon
Featuring: Sissel

“Deilig Er Jorden (Beautiful Savior)”
Music: Silesian folk melody
Lyrics: Anonymous 12^th century
Arrangement: Per Kolstad/Mack Wilberg
Featuring: Sissel

“From All That Dwell Below the Skies”
Music: John Hatton
Lyrics: Isaac Watts
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

1. From the album Love is Spoken Here.
2. From the album America’s Choir.
3. From the album Peace Like a River.
4. From the album Anniversary Collection.

The Spoken Word

Slow Down, Be Still

Sissel, the Choir, and the Orchestra perform on this broadcast a heavenly song based on these words from the 46th Psalm: “Be still, and know that I am God” (verse 10). It’s an invitation to peace and reassurance that resonates through the ages.

We don’t know whether the prophet Elijah was familiar with this psalm when he sought refuge on Mount Horeb. But Elijah certainly learned the truth of what the psalm teaches: that God is found in stillness. Elijah was the bold, courageous prophet who had defied powerful monarchs and called down fire from heaven. But his miracles had only made his enemies more hostile, and now his life was in danger.

So Elijah fled to a quiet, solitary cave on Horeb, “the mount of God” (1 Kings 19:8). It was also known as Sinai, where Moses had encountered God in a burning bush and where the Ten Commandments were revealed amid thunder, lightning, and earthquakes (see Exodus 3:1–6; 19:16–25; 20). But this time, the Lord spoke in a different—perhaps unexpected—way:

“Behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: “And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11–12).

God could easily amaze us with loud, imposing demonstrations of His power. But most of the time, He doesn’t. Instead, He whispers—gently, quietly, softly. Perhaps this is because He knows that in our chaotic world, what we need most from Him is peace. But He doesn’t want to force it upon us. He speaks to those who sincerely want to hear, who make the effort to hear. And it does take effort. It means striving to mute the noise in our lives, to clear the clutter from our minds and the pride from our hearts. It means seeking sacred moments alone with the Lord.

Simply stated, if we slow down and be still, we will know that He is God.