Standing on the Promises in Tonic Solfa
Standing on the Promises in Tonic Solfa to PROMISES: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the five verses and the refrain, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| s,Stand--,s,ings,on-,l,thes,prom--,f,is-m,es-,f,of | s,Christ-dmy-dKing,--- |
| l,Through-,l,e-l,ter--,t,nalda--,dgest,let-,l,His | l,prais--s,es-s,ring,--- |
| s,Glo--,s,rys,in-,l,thes,high--,f,est,m,I-,f,will | s,shout-dand-dsing,--- |
| mStand--,mingdon-,dtherprom--,ris-t,es-,t,of | dGod.------- |
| mStand----,s,ingd_--- | l,stand----,f,ingd_--- |
| rStand--,ringron-,rtherprom--,ris-des-,rof | mGod-dmy-l,Sa--dviour;- |
| mStand----,s,ingd_--- | l,stand----,f,ingf_--rI’m |
| dstand--,dingdon-,rthemprom--,mis-res-,rof | dGod.------- |
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Download the solfa (PDF)A4, free to print and share with your choir
- Key
- Bb major
- Doh
- Bb
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- s, (F)
- Range
- m, to f (D to E♭, a ninth)
- Tune
- PROMISES
- Words
- R. Kelso Carter
- Music
- R. Kelso Carter
Tune PROMISES by R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928); words by R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928). Sources and licences.
The solfa line by line
The same solfa as plain text, a line of the hymn at a time, with the words of the first verse under it — easy to copy into your own notes or a message to the choir. To print it, download the solfa as a PDF.
Doh is Bb · 4/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in Bb major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Saviour as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum Bb and sing d r m f s up from it, so the whole choir has the key in their ears before you start.
- Pitch the first note. The tune starts on s, (F).
- Count the time. 4/4 means four crotchet beats in each bar. In the grid every cell is half a crotchet: a dash (–) holds the note before it, and _ is a rest. A cell split by a comma holds two quarter beats: d -,r is a dotted quaver and a semiquaver, d,r two semiquavers. That comma sits between two syllables; an octave mark sits small and low against its own letter (s,).
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m f s l t. A comma after a note (s,) is the octave below; an apostrophe (d') is the octave above.
New to solfa? Read how to read Tonic Solfa and how to find the doh of a song.
About the hymn
R. Kelso Carter wrote both the words and the tune; the song was published in 1886.
- Words (1886): R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928)
- Music (1886): R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928)
Tune PROMISES by R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928); words by R. Kelso Carter (1849–1928).
Questions about Standing on the Promises
What is the doh of Standing on the Promises?
In this version, in Bb major, doh is Bb. If your choir sings it in another key, doh moves to the new key note and every solfa syllable stays the same — that is what movable doh means.
What note does Standing on the Promises start on?
It starts on s, (F in Bb major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to s,.
Is Standing on the Promises in the public domain?
Yes. R. Kelso Carter died in 1928, R. Kelso Carter died in 1928; the words were first published in 1886 and the music in 1886. Everyone named died before 1955 and both were published before 1929, so the hymn is out of copyright in the UK, the EU, the United States and Nigeria. Modern arrangements and translations can still be under copyright.