Weeping/mourning/sadness becomes joy through Jesus Christ

Here is a very short note showing an intriguing connection between the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Here are Christ's words from John 16:

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

And here are Mormon's words from 3 Nephi 10:

10 And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

This is really interesting to me. I can't help but assume that but accounts are based off of an earlier scripture. I looked for some possible candidates, though we may not have it in our current scriptures. Here are some possibilities:

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30)

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61) 

13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. (Jeremiah 31) 

Psalms in the Book of Mormon, Alma 26 - 60

In today's post we'll look at the remainder of the Psalm-language in the Book of Alma.

Praise ... his holy name ... forever

21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145)

8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever. (Alma 26)

Will praise . . . name forever

2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145)

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. (Alma 26)

Hath been mindful of us

12 The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. (Psalm 115)

36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land. (Alma 26)

I will give thanks unto [God] forever

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (Psalm 30)

37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen. (Alma 26)

As chaff before the wind

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. (Psalm 35)

15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind. (Alma 37)

Keep the commandments of my God

115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. (Psalm 119)

34 And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God; therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God, and send speedily unto me of your provisions and of your men, and also to Helaman. (Alma 60)

Old Testament Psalm-language in "Nephi's Psalm"

Today we'll take a closer look at the second half of 2 Nephi 4, which contains Nephi's beautiful and poignant poem. This passage is packed with Old Testament Psalm language, which probably shouldn't came as any surprise to us, given how well-versed Nephi was in Hebrew scripture.

I've leaned heavily on the analysis of others to identify examples of Psalm-language in the Book of Mormon, most notably this paper by John Hilton III and this study by Book of Mormon Central (see the appendix at the bottom). Many of these references can also be found in the "Psalms in the Book of Mormon" series of posts (starting with this one), but this passage deserves special attention and a format that allows easier visualization of the interwoven intertextuality.

I'd like to make a few points here regarding the textual connections between the Psalms and the Book of Mormon:

1. Joseph Smith would have dictated this chapter in one pass, probably in June 1829, at age 23.
2. The context of the specific Psalms quoted here by Nephi center on temple themes. I wonder what Joseph Smith would have been able to tell you about temple and covenants (much less about how ancient Hebrews viewed their temple covenant) at that time. The imagery found in the Psalms is heavily symbolically-related to the temple.  That's remarkable for Joseph Smith to have known that and incorporated it into the text.
3. Several of these poetic themes "resonate" in nearby verses.  For example, "because of mine enemy/enemies" in verses 27 and 29 echoes into adjacent verses 5 times in the form of the word "enemy."  Same with "deliver me," "trust," "heart," and "rock."
4. Notice how after a single reference to Psalms in the first three verses, there is a lull, followed by a crescendo of Psalm-language at the end.  It's really beautiful.

2 Nephi 4	Psalm reference
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.	19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (Psalm 31)
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.	19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (Psalm 31)
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.
26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?	8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. (Psalm 5)
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.	7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. (Psalm 28)
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.	8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. (Psalm 5)
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.	9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. (Psalm 52) 26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. (Psalm 89)
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?	1 O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: (Psalm 7)
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!	13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? (Psalm 56)
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.	23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. (Psalm 55) 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. (Psalm 56) 1 O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: (Psalm 7)
35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.	1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Psalm 121) 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. (Psalm 63) 8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. (Psalm 30)