“Cry Unto Him for Mercy For He Is Mighty to Save”

Brant Gardner

After accepting the Messiah as their king, they will naturally bring him their needs, treating this new king as they would an earthly king. Amulek provides a beautifully crafted exhortation to prayer.

Literature: To understand the structure of the opening section I will reprint it without the versification apparatus:

Yea, cry unto him for mercy / for he is mighty to save.
Yea, humble yourselves, / and continue in prayer unto him.
Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, / yea, over all your flocks.
Cry unto him in your houses, / yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
Yea, cry unto him / against the power of your enemies.
Yea, cry unto him / against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, / that ye may prosper in them.
Cry over the flocks of your fields, / that they may increase.

Amulek constructs this passage with paired couplets of similar structure. Each consists of an initial statement and a concluding statement. The first phrase of the couplet agrees in theme with the first phrase of the second line. Amulek concludes each pair with interjected amplifications. While this passage may have been extemporaneous, it seems more likely that Amulek is quoting something he expects his audience to recognize—a poetic text or perhaps a hymn. At times, it appears that he may be expanding the original hymn. The particulars are discussed with each verse below.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4

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