Queen Esther in the Bible
Esther: For Such a Time as This
Queen Esther in the Bible - now with a second, EASY PIANO arrangement. Read the ENTIRE POEM (below) telling how a young queen saved her people from certain death..
This beautiful songbook for piano & voice tells the riveting TRUE story of the attempt to destroy the Jews of ancient Persia, and the brave young queen who risked her life to change the king's mind and save her people.
Details about this song book can be found on my other website dedicated to telling Bible stories and verses set to music, and sharing hymns and Christmas songs, SingTheBibleStory.com.
But you can download the digital book here as well, or go to Amazon for the paperback.
Have a listen to the first three pages of this 57-page book:
Wait! Isn't there a more beginner-friendly version of this music?
Yes... it's DONE!
And here is what the music looks like:
Set in Em instead of Dm, it includes chord symbols to help guitar players. The very first page may seem beyond early piano students, but apart from identification of a few notes, it is easy to play!
This is what the repeating chorus page looks like in the Easy Piano Edition:
In the Easy Piano Edition, there is still a bit of an "eastern" sound, but the notes are so much easier:
Unlike the original version in Dm, the musical accompaniment sections remain the same every time they recur - no elaboration or change-ups!
Much less of a challenge for more advanced pianists, but just right for budding pianists.
Here is a free sample of those first three pages for you to try out:
A free sample of pages 1-3 of the Easy Piano Edition
Download a free sample of the Easy Piano arrangement, the first 3 pages
And here are the lyrics in their entirety:
Esther: For Such a Time as This
Lyrics & Music by Dana Thynes
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Long ago there lived a king, and his wife, the fairest queen.
Summoned to a feast of men, Queen Vashti scorned his rude demand;
So the king sent her away! Defiance of the king must never pay, pay,
Defiance of the king must never pay!
Now, the king, a lonely man, wished to have a queen again,
So his wise men quickly planned a contest: " Fairest in the land!"
And of all the maids disarming, Esther was the one he found most charming, charming,
Esther was the one he found most charming.
Secretly she was a Jew, no one in the palace knew,
Like the other Jews, an exile far from home in Israel;
Now, that Serpent, Dread & Sly, saw a way for ev'ry Jew to die, die.
Saw a way for ev'ry Jew to die.
Esther's cousin Mordecai's enemy wished him to die;
Haman! Proud & cruel man, & yet he was the king's right hand.
He expected ev'ry man to bow before him, all throughout the land,
land, to bow before him all throughout the land.
Ev'ry person in the town trembled at his slightest frown,
All except for one, a Jew, and Haman's hatred spread & grew!
He thought, "Not just Mordecai... Ev'ry Jew throughout the land will
die! Die! Ev'ry Jew throughout the land will die!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Flattering the king one day, Haman said that he would pay
to rid the kingdom of a people who were nothing but great trouble.
Foolishly, the king agreed, and with his ring he sealed the death decree, -cree;
With his ring he sealed the death decree!
Letters post and couriers cry, "Jews both young and old will die!
In the twelfth month, thirteenth day: Be ready, each one for the fray!"
Haman and the king sat down to drink, while horror filled all the
town, town; They drank while horror filled all the town.
All the Jews and Mordecai cried aloud a bitter cry,
Tore their clothes & wept & mourned, to hear the evil tidings borne.
Esther did not know the news about the terror coming to the Jews,
Jews; about the terror coming to the Jews!
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Mordecai said, "Beg the king, plead with him to stop this thing!"
Esther said, "Without a call, I may not enter in his hall!
Only if the king should bare his golden scepter will my life be spared,
spared; If he bares his scepter I'll be spared."
"If you think that you'll survive, in the palace stay alive,
From another help will come, but you and yours will be undone;
Who knows whether you were not to the kingdom for this moment
brought, brought; To the kingdom for this moment brought."
"Gather all the Jews to pray, and to fast both night and day.
So will I go to the king, and plead that he will change this thing."
Esther answered Mordecai, "I will go, and if I die, I die.
I will go and if I die, I die."
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
While the king was on his throne, someone entered all alone.
In her royal robes so fine, Queen Esther stood and seemed to shine,
Winning favor in his sight! The king held out the golden scepter
bright, bright; He held out the golden scepter bright!
Then Ahasuerus spoke, as his admiration woke,
"What is your request of me? To freely grant it I agree!"
Esther said, "A feast I've made; please let the king and Haman come
today, -day, Let the king and Haman come today."
All his fav'rite foods were laid at the feast Queen Esther made,
As the king and Haman ate, her fears she still did not relate,
Honored by the queen so high, proud Haman thought "Who is as great
as I, I?" Proud Haman thought "Who is as great as I?"
Still Queen Esther did not name Haman's plan, nor speak of blame.
When he'd relished ev'ry dish, the king said, "Esther, name your wish!"
She replied, "Yet one more day! Come to another feast and I will say,
say; Come to another feast and I will say!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Exit Haman, smiling wide, till he saw who stood outside!
Mordecai, who would not bow, whom wicked Haman could not cow!
Then, because of Mordecai, all Haman's bliss was nothing in his eyes,
eyes, All Haman's bliss was nothing in his eyes.
Haman's neighbors and his wife saw he had no joy in life.
"What's the problem?" Zeresh cried. "The king won't care for Mordecai!"
Build a gallows* very high, and then tomorrow, hang that Mordecai,
high! Then tomorrow, hang that Mordecai!"
* Or, "pole that's very high"
On that night, the sleepless king said, "The Book of Records bring!"
All great deeds that had occurred were read, with one he had not heard:*
Mordecai the Jew, it seemed, stopped two assassins murdering the king, king,
Stopped two assassins murdering the king!
*from Esther 2:22, we know that Esther had told the king, but apparently he wasn't listening!
"What a story!" cried the king, "Why was I not told this thing?
And what honor has been shown to thank the man, & make him known?"
"Nothing, Sire," his servant said, "No glory has been placed upon his
head, head, No glory has been placed upon his head!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
At that moment entered in Haman with an eager grin...
Wishing to hang Mordecai, he came prepared to tell a lie!
But the king cried, "Just the man! Come, Haman, give me input for my plan, plan!
Come, Haman, give me input for my plan!"
"What should be done to raise high one the king would magnify?"
Haman thought, "And who but I would Xerxes choose to lift up high?"
"Sire, I have a happy thought, a way to honor greatness as you ought, ought...
A way to honor greatness as you ought."
Haman said, "A noble lord going forth shall speak this word:
'Here is how His Majesty will honor him whom he esteems!'
With the king's own robe and crown, upon his horse, he'll be led through the town, town...
Upon his horse he'll be led through the town!"
"Haman! Take my robe and crown, go at once into the town!
You shall be that noble man, the one who executes the plan.
Find the Jew named Mordecai! Parade him through the town to magnify, -fy...
Parade him through the town to magnify!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Out the door rushed Haman then, filled with horror and chagrin,
Mordecai he must endorse, and place upon the king's own horse!
Shouting from the city heights, "Thus to the man in whom the king delights, -lights...
Thus to the man in whom the king delights!"
Afterward, he hurried home, wailing loud a plaintive moan,
Zeresh and his wise men said, "If you don't stop, you're good as dead!"
As they spoke, the king's men came, to fetch him to the palace once again, - gain,
To fetch him to the palace once again.
At the banquet one more time, as the three were drinking wine,
Yet again requests the king, "Come, tell me what you want, my queen!"
"If it please you, and seems right, and if I have found favor in your sight, sight,
If I have found favor in your sight..."
Then Queen Esther made this plea, "Let my life be given me!
And my people's lives as well be saved from those who'll come to kill.
We are sold, my race and I, to be destroyed, to perish, and to die, die...
To be destroyed, to perish, and to die!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
"Who is he, and where is he, dares presume so wickedly?!"
Esther said, "The adversary HAMAN is our enemy!"
Then the king jumped to his feet, and went into the garden in his heat, heat,
He went into the garden in his heat.
Xerxes exiting in fury, Haman thought he'd better hurry,
Fearfully, he begged the queen to save his life, and intervene!
Then the king returned in time to see him fall down where the queen reclined, - clined,
To see him fall down where the queen reclined.
Cried the king then, "Would he force the queen before me, in the house!"
As he spoke, the servants raced to quickly cover Haman's face.
"Sire, a gallows* very high was made by Haman just for Mordecai, - cai,
Was made by Haman just for Mordecai!"
*or, "Sire, a sharpened pole so high was made by Haman just for Mordecai!"
Said the king, "Hang him on that, since he set himself this trap!"
So was Haman hung up high, the death he'd planned for Mordecai.
Mordecai came with the queen, and Xerxes handed him his signet ring, ring,
Xerxes handed him his signet ring.
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Haman's plan still not undone, nor the Jews' salvation won,
Esther sought the king again, to beg him to revoke the plan!
Falling at his feet with tears, she told Ahasuerus all her fears, fears,
She told Ahasuerus all her fears.
"If it seems right to the king, please reverse or stop this thing!"
But he said, "The thing that's writ and sealed in my name is set.
Such a law cannot be broke, nor can this law by any be revoked, - voked!
Nor can this law by any be revoked!"
"Write an edict as you choose; send a message to the Jews.
Say, 'By order of the king!' and seal it with my signet ring.
Though the law you can't undo, yet you can counter it with one that's new, new;
You can counter it with one that's new!"
Scribes were summoned, and they came, writing in King Xerxes' name.
"Jews," as Mordecai dictated, "should resist the ones who hated!
And should kill the enemy, and save from death their friends & family, - ly;
And save from death their friends and family!"
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Now the couriers from the king cry aloud a diff'rent theme;
"Hark! On one day, Jewish men, take arms, your kinsmen to defend!"
Urged on by the king's command, the message spread from Susa through the land, land,
The message spread from Susa through the land.
When the fateful day arrived, few who fought the Jews survived.
On the day, their enemies had thought to conquer them with ease,
Quite the opposite occurred! The Jews destroyed the foes they had endured, - dured,
The Jews destroyed the foes they had endured!
Now is sorrow turned to joy - gladness for each girl and boy!
For the Jews have gained relief; their enemies have come to grief.
Let us all commemorate today; with gifts and feasting celebrate, - brate,
Today with gifts and feasting celebrate!
Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus,
Living in the land of Persia,
Chosen to be queen for such a time as this,
Esther saved the lives of her people.
Download a digital copy of the original edition in Dm, $14
or find the paperback version on Amazon.
Download a digital copy of the EASY PIANO edition in Em, $14
or get a paperback copy of the Easy Piano Edition at Amazon.
This easier arrangement keeps every return to the chorus or verses just the same.
There are a few little challenges, as you can see with the final measure of the music graphic above, but they aren't too hard, requiring no re-positioning of the hand, and they help preserve the mysterious flavor of the music.
A timeless story stranger than fiction
What makes this historical drama such a great and enduring story?
As the foreword to the book itself says,
A queen is banished from the kingdom for disobeying the king.
A beauty "contest" is held throughout the land to find a new queen.
From all of the lovely young maidens, the king chooses a beautiful commoner.
The new young queen keeps her past a secret.
The queen's cousin prevents a plot to assassinate the king.
The enemy of that same cousin plots an evil scheme to destroy him, along with all of his kin and people, not knowing the the queen herself is one of them!
From the book:
What a story! Like Cinderella - only it is a true story!
But far worse than sleeping in the ashes, and disappointed love, the fate of a whole people is at stake. Look at the lyrics in this next video to see what Haman planned for the Jews:
No less than an early Holocaust - a genocide is what is threatened here.
A chorus that returns again & again
Here is the refrain of Esther: For Such a Time as This:
The chorus keeps coming back again; it is the kind of melody easily learned and singable by a group of people who might be just an audience, but would love to join in on the familiar parts!
Music & rhyme are memory aids
If your class or theatre group learns this song or acts it out for a dramatic event, they will not forget the story of the book of Esther!
Again, please check out the much longer page describing this music over at SingTheBibleStory.com.
Download a digital copy of the original edition in Dm, $14
or find the paperback version on Amazon.
Download a digital copy of the EASY PIANO edition in Em, $14
or get a paperback copy of the Easy Piano Edition at Amazon.
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
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And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
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Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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