Finlandia (aka Gweddi dros Gymru/Prayer for Wales)

performed by John Eifion and Côr Penyberth

music composed by Jean Sibelius

words by Lewis Valentine

This past Sunday I was supposed to be playing the hymn "Be Still my Soul" for my ward's (LDS church congregation) Relief Society meeting. Out of nowhere I got sick on Saturday (usually I see it coming because my brother has a knack for getting me sick) and the cough syrup my dad gave me Sunday morning made me way too groggy to go to church. I was totally bummed because I was looking forward to playing this beautiful hymn that uses the melody from "Finlandia" by Sibelius . Some time ago I decided to do a little digging around to find out more about the hymn's melody and that eventually led me to this Welsh masterpiece:

text from "Be Still my Soul":

1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

lyrics in Welsh for "Gweddi dros Gymru":

Dros Gymru'n gwlad, O Dad, dyrchafwn gri,

y winllan wen a roed i'n gofal ni;

d'amddiffyn cryf a'i cadwo'n ffyddlon byth,

a boed i'r gwir a'r glân gael ynddi nyth;

er mwyn dy Fab a'i prynodd iddo'i hun,

O crea hi yn Gymru ar dy lun.

O deued dydd pan fo awelon Duw

yn chwythu eto dros ein herwau gwyw,

a'r crindir cras dan ras cawodydd nef

yn erddi Crist, yn ffrwythlon iddo ef,

a'n heniaith fwyn â gorfoleddus hoen

yn seinio fry haeddiannau'r addfwyn Oen.