Hymns of Grace #5: Go Bury Thy Sorrow

Go Bury Thy Sorrow was written by Mary A. Bachelor about 1870 and set to music around 1906.

I have mixed feelings about this hymn. I understand the sentiment to an extent, but I think’s it’s just too simplistic

Verse 1

The world tells us to bury our sorrow. It’s okay to grieve, just not too much or for too long. This isn’t scriptural. There are so many examples in the Bible to look to of godly men who grieved. Lamentations, Job, and Psalms are full of cries of sorrow. Jesus was a “man of sorrows” (John 11:35, Isaiah 53:3-4).

Verse 2

The second verse follows scripture more closely. I totally agree that we are to go to Jesus, Who is our brother, friend, and husband, when we are grieving. Being acquainted with grief, Jesus certainly knows and enters into our grief. The Psalms are full of David taking his sorrow to the Lord. He honestly poured out his heart, sometimes wondering if God was even listening to him. Yet, I think David knew God was there all the time.

Verse 3

Now, verse three – well. I agree we are to go and comfort others in their grief. We are to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) and “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). That doesn’t mean we have to bury our own sorrow. To love my neighbor as myself (Mark 12:31) I must first love myself. Because I have empathy, I’m not just going to “give them the sunshine’. We can grieve together, but with hope (I Thessalonians 4:13).

So, there you have it. Aunt Marie’s hymnal is full of wonderful songs. But, as with everything else, we need to be ever discerning (Acts 17:11).