Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Karen Lafferty* (1948- ). Written in 1971, at a time when Lafferty had given up her work as a night-club and hotel singer, and was short of money. A visit to a Bible study group produced stanza 1, based on Matthew 6: 33, and the music for guitar. It was published in Praise 1 (1971), and released by Maranatha! Music in 1972. Further stanzas were soon added, the most common being ‘Ask, and it shall be given [sometimes ‘added’] unto you’, based on Matthew 7: 7, and ‘Man [or ‘We] shall not live by bread alone’, from Deuteronomy 8: 3. It is sometimes set with a descant and as a round, as in H82. It has proved very attractive and adaptable, and appears in...