OLIVET
Lowell Mason composed OLIVET in three-part harmony for Palmer’s text; the two were published together in Spiritual Songs for Social Worship (1831). Mason, who often assigned biblical names to his tunes, named this tune for the Mount of Olives. 404 CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS OLIVET consists of a long line followed by two slightly shorter ones; the last line descends from an initial climax. The harmonization is straightforward: sing it in parts, perhaps without accompaniment on the inner stanzas. Liturgical Use: Stanzas 1 and 2 are most useful in the service of confession and forgiveness—stanza 1 can initiate the confession; stanza 2 can be a response to words of forgiveness and assurance. Stanzas 3 and 4 are prayers for guidance as the Christian continues the pilgrimage toward glory.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: acknowledgment of sin and guilt (St. 1) → plea for Christ's transformative grace and love (St. 2) → petition for divine guidance through earthly trials (St. 3) → assurance of salvation at death (St. 4)