Look Unto Christ

Hymn

Topics

Jesus Christ, Atonement, Enabling Power, Faith, Hope, Adversity, Endure, Fear, Doubt, Covenant Path

About This Song

“Look Unto Christ” was released in 2025 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
as part of its new collection, Hymns – For Home and Church.

For sheet music and audio tracks click here.

The Story Behind “Look Unto Christ”

I can trace the initial seed for this song back to a specific moment during my teenage years. I was sitting on a folding chair in a crowded gym at a devotional kicking off a new year of seminary. At a certain point in the program the room suddenly went dark and the words of that year’s theme lit up before our eyes, spanning the length of the stage:

“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
D&C 6:36

From my seat in the darkness I felt my heart stir. I was just getting to know my Savior, but I was already well acquainted with fear. I had been a worrier for most of my life. Although I was as safe and healthy as a person could be, I was often secretly afraid that something terrible was about to happen. But as I gazed at those glowing words across the stage, I felt peace. The meeting closed and I went on with life, but that verse stayed with me. A seed had been planted.

During my first year of college the mild anxiety of my youth worsened dramatically. During one particularly dark time I felt prompted to open my scriptures to the Topical Guide and read each reference listed under “Comfort.” I noticed that many verses pointed to Christ as our greatest source of comfort. If this was true, then I was determined to do whatever was needed to obtain that comfort. This moment marked a turning point in my life—the moment I turned and looked toward Christ.

The scriptures showed me that I could trust Jesus Christ completely. In fact, I was safer in His hands than anywhere else. Instead of focusing on my fears and doubts, I gradually learned to lift my gaze toward Christ. I drew comfort from scriptures and hymns about Him. During anxiety attacks I would recite their reassuring words to myself over and over again. I also found comfort in my weekly visits to the temple. As I reached for my Savior His power began to flow into my life, bringing peace and assurance along with courage and strength to face future challenges. I have never looked back.

In 2018 the Church called for submissions for a new hymnbook. I had already been considering writing a song based on D&C 6:36, so I got right to work gathering ideas for a hymn. I drew from my story of overcoming anxiety, along with some more recent experiences.

Interestingly, a few years earlier I had spent time studying a few dozen of my favorite hymns, hoping to glean techniques for writing a beautiful and moving hymn. I looked at textual, structural, melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements. My main takeaway from this study was that musical and literary craft are important, but ultimately insufficient by themselves. If I wanted to write a hymn that touches hearts and changes lives, I would need to work side by side with the Spirit.

For some compositions, ideas come quickly and inspiration flows freely. This was not the case with “Look Unto Christ.” I spent months praying, studying, pondering, and struggling over the music and lyrics. Effective hymn writing is surprisingly difficult compared with other genres. (It’s much easier to write a lousy hymn!)

As my hymn slowly took shape, I felt a deep gratitude for my Savior, along with a desire to help others find comfort and courage in Christ. We may be encompassed by darkness and uncertainty, but as we rivet our focus upon the Savior, our fears will fade and we will find the strength to move forward, trusting that He is by our side.

Uploaded

June 12, 2025