The Songs of Zion
Title: “High on the Mountain Top”
Medium: hymn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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This hymn was reprinted from: Deseret (1850).
The complete title of this volume, as given on the title page, is: The Songs of Zion: A Collection of Choice Songs Especially Selected and Arranged for The Home and for all Meetings, Sunday Schools and Gatherings of Elders and Saints in the Mission Field.
"High on the Mountain Top" is hymn #108 in this volume.
Below is the text of this hymn as published in this edition:
High on the mountain top
A banner is unfurled;
Ye nations, now look up;
It waves to all the world;
In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land--
On Zion's mount behold it stand!
For God remembers still
His promise made of old
That he on Zion's hill
Truth's standard would unfold!
Her light should there attract the gaze
Of all the world in latter days.
His house shall there be reared
His glory to display;
And people shall be heard
In distant lands to say,
We'll now go up and serve the Lord,
Obey his truth and learn his word.
For there we shall be taught
The law that will go forth,
With truth and wisdom fraught,
To govern all the earth;
Forever there his ways we'll tread,
And save ourselves with all our dead.
Then hail to Deseret!
A refuge for the good,
And safety for the great,
If they but understood
That God with plagues will shake the world
Till all its thrones shall down be hurled.
In Deseret doth truth
Rear up its royal head;
Though nations may oppose,
Still wider it shall spread;
Yes, truth and justice, love and grace,
In Deseret find ample place.
Notes from original source:
This poem, written by Joel H Johnson, became the hymn "High on the Mountain Top."
Sources differ slightly regarding when Johnson wrote this poem. One source states 1850. Another states 19 February 1853.
Johnson showed the poem to John Taylor, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve at that time. Taylor asked if he could keep the poem, and it soon became a favorite hymn within the Church.
"High on the mountain top, A banner is unfurled. Ye nations now look up; It waves to all the world." In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land- On Zion's mount behold it stand! For God remembers still His promise made of old That He on Zion's hill Truth's standard would unfold! Her light should there attract the gaze Of all the world in latter days. His house shall there be reared His glory to display And people shall be heard In distant lands to say We'll now go up and serve the Lord, Obey His truth, and learn His word. For there we shall be taught The law that will go forth, With truth and wisdom fraught To govern all the earth; Forever there His ways we'll tread And save ourselves and all our dead. Then hail to Deseret! A refuge for the good, And safety for the great, If they but understood. That God with plagues will shake the world Till all its thrones shall down be hurled. In Deseret doth truth Rear up its royal head; Though nations may oppose, Still wider it shall spread; Yes, truth and justice, love and grace, In Deseret find ample place,
