From the album The Night the Promise Came
About This Song
After the angels and the anthem, the musical goes quiet. Mary Kept These Things is sung in the stillness after the shepherds leave — "the songs have ceased… now in the quiet of this place, I look upon my Saviour's face."
Luke gives us one of Scripture's most tender sentences: Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. This song imagines that pondering. She cannot yet understand it all — "I cannot know what years will bring, or all it means to raise this King" — but she can hold on: each holy promise, every part. The chorus becomes her resolve for the unknown road: through the wonder, through the years, through the laughter, through the tears, I will treasure what I've heard and remember every word. The song is the musical's still centre — proof that worship is not always loud. Sometimes it is a mother keeping God's words where no one can take them.
Devotional
"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).
Everyone else that night made noise — angels sang, shepherds ran and told everyone they met. Mary did something harder and slower: she kept. The Greek suggests guarding and turning things over, the way you turn a gem to catch the light. She would need that treasury. Ahead lay Simeon's sword, the flight to Egypt, a missing twelve-year-old in the temple, and one dark afternoon at the foot of a cross. On those days, what she had stored is what she had.
There is a discipline here for every believer: God's words must be kept before they are needed. "I have hidden your word in my heart" (Psalm 119:11) is Christmas advice as much as anything — because the road remains unknown, and the promises you ponder in the quiet are the ones that hold you in the storm. Not every response to Jesus is a shout. Some of the deepest worship ever offered was a young mother in a stable, saying almost nothing, keeping everything.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] The rest is still, the songs have ceased The shepherds leave with hearts at peace They told us what the angels said That Christ the Lord lies in this bed Now in the quiet of this place I look upon my Saviour's face Though I may not yet understand The Lord has held us in His hand [Chorus] I'll keep these things within my heart Each holy promise, every part Though the road remains unknown I will trust in God alone Through the wonder, through the years Through the laughter, through the tears I will treasure what I've heard And remember every word [Verse 2] No palace walls, no royal throne Yet God has made His glory known The promised Son is in my care I see God's mercy resting there I cannot know what years will bring Or all it means to raise this King But He who led us through this night Will go before us with His light [Bridge] Whatever roads may lie ahead I'll hold to every word You said Through every joy and every pain Your faithfulness will still remain [Chorus] I'll keep these things within my heart Each holy promise, every part Though the road remains unknown I will trust in God alone Through the wonder, through the years Through the laughter, through the tears I will treasure what I've heard And remember every word [Outro] I'll keep these things within my heart Each holy promise, every part Mary kept these things within her heart
Suggested chord chart
Key: F major · Tempo: ~62 BPM · Time: 4/4 NOTE: This is a suggested arrangement for playing along — not a transcription of the recording. Capo 5 with C shapes for easier playing. Keep it hushed — piano and voice. [Verse] F B♭ Dm C F B♭ C F [Chorus] F C Dm B♭ F C B♭ C F [Bridge] Dm B♭ | F C [Outro] B♭ | F/A | C | F (barely there)
Credits: Music and lyrics: Sandy Rock · Singing & vocals: Gospel Choir 19 · Producer: Sandy R · Management: Sandy Stoltz
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