At the center of On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand is a hymn called “O Jesus My Son,” by Elder Carlton Smith. The hymn dates back to the early part of the eighteenth century and was originally sung by Elder Heman. The words of the hymn are in part, “Weep not unto the rock from fear; for from henceforth there is no hope to the rock.” In addition to the rock in on Christ the solid rock I stand there is also hope that by the time we have finished reading the lyrics all will be restored and the rock will stand firm in place.

In the words of the song itself we can understand that even though the rock has become “cracked” it still stands firm in place. If we ever find a crack in anything we are sure that it will only be replaced by more cracks and so forth until the original problem is fully resolved. We can trust that eventually the “rock” will again stand firm and we can go on with our life. We can trust that through the ages even Christ who died and rose again from the grave will have perfected this work which includes the love of our neighbor as much as he loved us.

In the words of the second verse of the above mentioned hymn, we can see that the worry about “the rock” has become unnecessary. It is only a reminder that we are not helpless against our troubles but rather the fear of losing what we have is drowning us and this is not good. Rather than worrying or being concerned about “the rock” the focus should be on “other ground” and the things that are important to others. This is where the real treasure is to be found, other ground is sinking sand.

Nowhere does this reminder get more relevant than in the song titled Sweetest Frame of Life. The words are “sweetest frame of life” and this is where the concern for “other ground” no longer needs to be set aside. The song is about the importance of letting go of all the worries and fears that drag us down. It says let go of your cares and allow Christ to take care of everything while He helps you to build a new life in place of the old one.

The concern over “other ground” actually becomes a blessing in disguise. When we allow Christ to take care of everything instead of worrying and being concerned about “the rock” we are doing the will of our Creator for us. Through the words of the hymn we are hearing a voice that is resounding throughout the entire congregation – a voice that is consistent throughout every hymn. This consistent message from the hymn is that it is better to give than to receive and Christ has given us an assurance that there is nothing less than worth fighting for. In order to obtain such a worthy outcome it is important not to second guess what our options are but rather trust in God and listen to His voice.

In the last few minutes of the Hymn for the Man on the Sea the congregants are allowed to freely express themselves and this is when the words “nothing less than” are heard. This is when the opportunity to speak out arises and the hymn encourages members to stand up for their beliefs. We are urged to stand up for our convictions by refusing to yield to pressure from others who want us to change our views on Christ and His teachings.