I WILL NOT FAIL THEE
"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
-D&C 6:34, 36
"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God,
he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
-Deuteronomy 31:6
The Story Behind the Song
This story is a hard one for me to put into words. This song was born out of one of the darkest points in my life, and one of the most personal and intimate moments I have had in coming to know my Savior, and there will never be words powerful enough to describe what those words mean to me: Doubt not. Fear not. I will not fail thee.
My first semester of college was one of numerous challenges. My High School sweetheart had broken up with me, my lifelong best friend had married and moved to a different state, After my sophomore juries, I had to switch out of the piano performance major at BYU because of some devastating issues I was having with the muscles and nerves in my hands, and my Mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. These were just a few of the big things. It seemed like everything that could go wrong in my life, had gone wrong. I felt so devastated and alone.
My Christmas present from my Mom that year was a painting by Derek Hegsted entitled, "I Will Not Fail Thee." The painting is of a young girl, kneeling at the feet of the Savior. You can't see the Savior's face, but His arms are encircling the girl as she clings to Him. The moment I saw the picture, I saw myself in the face of that young girl, and I could literally feel myself encircled about in the arms of His love. (There's a much longer story here, but it's too long and perhaps too sacred to share on a public website). I had been tinkering for several weeks with what I thought was to have been a piano solo, but as soon as I saw the picture, I knew that this was the song I had been writing. The words and music went together perfectly and immediately. I wrote the song in its entirety that Christmas day. To this day it is still my favorite. I have never been happy with a recording of it because I can't seem to control my emotions when I sing this one. I still have the picture hanging on my bedroom wall, and
D&C 6:36 is still (and will always be) my favorite scripture.
At those times when I feel that all of earth and hell are combining against me, I remember the scripture, the picture, the song, and I know that when everything else fails, He never will.
http://www.hegsted.com/willnotfailthee.html
LYRICS
There are times in life when you lose your way,
When your world seems filled with doubt and dismay.
When the trials come, Look unto the Lord.
Put your trust in Him and remember His words
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
Reach out and I’ll be there.
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
I am as close as prayer.
Doubt not.
Fear not.
I am your Rock.
I will not fail thee.
If I ask in prayer I know I’ll receive
And the doors shall all be opened to me.
And I know if I can endure it well,
Neither earth nor hell can ever prevail.
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
Reach out and I’ll be there.
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
I am as close as prayer.
Doubt not.
Fear not.
I am your Rock.
I will not fail thee.
At the end of days when He comes again,
I will kneel at His feet, My Savior, My friend.
I will find myself encircled about.
In His arms, at last, He lays to rest all my doubt.
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
Reach out and I’ll be there.
I will not fail thee, Nor will I forsake thee.
I am as close as prayer.
Doubt not.
Fear not.
I am your Rock.
I will not fail thee.
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