My Hope Is In The Lord

This is a twentieth century hymn, having been written in 1945 by Norman Clayton, who was born on January 22, 1903 in Brooklyn, New York, the ninth of ten children. He was converted at the age of six in the South Brooklyn Gospel Church (where his mother had been a founding member) and was church organist by the age of 12. He kept up the role of church organist for the rest of his life.

Clayton’s profession was in the building industry, but he also created his own publishing house, Gospel Songs. In 1942 he was working with Jack Wyrtzen’s Word of Life organization, providing music for both the radio broadcasts and crusade meetings. That same year Clayton wrote his most popular gospel song, "Now I Belong to Jesus."

According to Kenneth Osbeck, Norman Clayton “tells how it is his usual practice to write the music first before the words,” and that “he feels it is vitally important that every song he writes be Biblically based” (101 More Hymn Stories, page 204). In order to create songs worthy of His Lord, Clayton made it his practice to memorize scripture, so his songs would have a strong Biblical basis.

The hymn, “My Hope Is In The Lord” provides a clear and Biblical explanation of the work of salvation. The tune, Wakefield, was named after the composer’s mother, Alice Wakefield. The strong, matter-of-fact movement of the melody expresses certainty and confidence in God.