OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE

God will use His holy scriptures to speak to all who will listen.  The scriptures are powerful and inspired.  Often when you read God’s Word, His letter to human kind, you will be struck by its truth.  Your mind will begin to hear a special message from the Lord.  That is what happened when Clara Scott found inspiration after reading Psalm chapter 119 and verse 18.  In that verse Clara read, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”  What came about was the text for her hymn, OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE.

Clara was born in 1841, just outside Chicago.  She was drawn toward music at an early age, having the privilege of attending the musical institute of Chicago.  Three years later, she became the music teacher of an all-girl’s school in Iowa.  In 1861, after her marriage to Henry Clay Scott, she began writing songs.  Horatio Palmer discovered her musical talent and with his encouragement, Clara began writing in earnest.  Horatio published a number of her songs in his collections. 

In 1882 she published The Royal Anthem Book, which holds the distinction of being the first volume of anthems ever published solely by a woman.  OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE, was published and it became her best-known hymn.  Unfortunately, in 1897, while riding in a horse-drawn carriage, the horse got spooked and during the ensuing uncontrolled ride she was thrown from the carriage and killed.  She was only fifty-five.

Her hymn continues to be a prayer for those who want to receive, in her words,  ‘glimpses of truth’ from God’s word as they, ‘silently…wait’ for Him to speak His comforting expressions into their spirits.  It is a prayer of worship and anticipation.  May it be your prayer too when you sing Clara Scott’s hymn.