New England missionaries brought their hymn book to the Choctaw land of Mississippi in the early 1800s. Soon after, the Choctaw and missionaries among them were removed to Oklahoma. By the end of the century, the missionaries had passed away while the Choctaw believers continued to sing their faith, and their hymn tunes began to sound more and more like traditional Choctaw flute melodies than English tunes. Over a hundred and fifty years later, SIL ethnomusicologists would begin work with the Choctaw believers to record and preserve the hymns sung to the tunes of the Choctaw heart!
Translation:
1 O Holy Spirit
You must surely come and
We who are poor in spirit
You will gladden our spirit
2 Come and awaken our
Heart that is asleep
You alone can comfort us
That is our plea for you
3 O Holy Spirit
Our mind
Is in total darkness
You must shine on us
4 Our heart is sorrowful
Come comfort us
Because we have sinned
You must forgive us
