Trust and Obey in Tonic Solfa
Trust and Obey in Tonic Solfa to TRUST AND OBEY: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the five verses and the refrain, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| dWhenrwe | mwalk-mwith-rthe- | dLord---dinmthe | slight-sof-fHis- | mWord,---mWhatma |
| fglo--lry-fHe- | msheds-son-mour- | rway!---dWhilerwe | mdo-mHis-rgood- |
| dwill,---dHema- | sbides-swith-fus- | mstill,---mAndmwith | fall-lwho-fwill- |
| mtrust-dand-ro-- | dbey.----- | sTrust-rand-so-- | mbey,---mformthere’s |
| lno-moth--ser- | fway---fTofbe | fhap--mpy-rin- | mJe--ssus,-dbutrto |
| mtrust-dand-ro-- | dbey.----- |
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- Key
- F major
- Doh
- F
- Time
- 3/4
- Starts on
- d (F)
- Range
- d to l (F to D, a sixth)
- Tune
- TRUST AND OBEY
- Words
- John H. Sammis
- Music
- Daniel Brink Towner
Tune TRUST AND OBEY by Daniel Brink Towner (1850–1919); words by John H. Sammis (1846–1919). 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 F · 3/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in F major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum F 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 d (F), on the word “When”, as a pickup before the first full bar.
- Count the time. 3/4 means three 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.
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m f s l. 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
John H. Sammis wrote the words, first published in 1887. The tune, TRUST AND OBEY, is by Daniel Brink Towner (1887).
- Words (1887): John H. Sammis (1846–1919)
- Music (1887): Daniel Brink Towner (1850–1919)
Tune TRUST AND OBEY by Daniel Brink Towner (1850–1919); words by John H. Sammis (1846–1919).
Questions about Trust and Obey
What is the doh of Trust and Obey?
In this version, in F major, doh is F. 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 Trust and Obey start on?
It starts on d (F in F major), a pickup on the word “When” before the first full bar. Find doh first, then sing up or down to d.
Is Trust and Obey in the public domain?
Yes. John H. Sammis died in 1919, Daniel Brink Towner died in 1919; the words were first published in 1887 and the music in 1887. 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.