Oil in My Lamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Oil in My Lamp" |
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An example of a burning Oil lamp.
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| Song | |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Gospel |
| Lyricist(s) | A. Sevison |
"Oil in My Lamp", also known as "Give Me Oil in My Lamp" or "Sing Hosanna", is a well-known Christian hymn. This song is based on a story from the Bible called the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It teaches about being ready and prepared.
The song has been recorded by many different artists. For example, it was a popular hit in Jamaica in 1964 for Eric "Monty" Morris. The famous American band The Byrds also included it on their 1969 album Ballad of Easy Rider. They even released it as the B-side of their "Ballad of Easy Rider" single.
Contents
Song Lyrics and Meaning
The lyrics of "Oil in My Lamp" are simple and easy to remember. They follow a common song structure with verses and a chorus.
Verse:
Give me oil in my lamp,
Keep me burning,
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray!
Give me oil in my lamp,
Keep me burning,
Keep me burning
Till the break of day.
Chorus:
Sing hosanna! sing hosanna!
Sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna! sing hosanna!
Sing hosanna to the King!
How the Verses Change
After the first verse about "oil in my lamp," the song changes. Each new verse asks for something different, like "joy in my heart" or "peace in my heart." The action verb also changes to match the new request.
For example, the second verse goes like this: "Give me joy in my heart, Keep me singing, Give me joy in my heart, I pray! Keep me singing till the break of day."
This pattern continues, reminding listeners to always have good things like joy, peace, and love in their lives.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
The song's message comes from the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which is found in the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible. In this story, ten young women are waiting for a bridegroom to arrive for a wedding. Five of them are wise and bring extra oil for their lamps, while the other five are foolish and do not. When the bridegroom is delayed, their lamps start to go out. The wise ones have enough oil, but the foolish ones have to go buy more, missing the wedding feast.
The song uses the idea of keeping a lamp burning as a symbol for being prepared and ready for important moments in life.
Used in Football Chants
The catchy tune of "Oil in My Lamp" has also become popular in football chants, especially in the United Kingdom. Fans of different teams, like Rangers and the England national team, sometimes use the melody for their own songs to support their teams during matches.
- Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
