Skip to content
hymnal.net
hymnal.net
My Songs

About Numbered Notation

Numbered Notation (also called Jianpu, 简谱) writes each melody note as a number from 1 to 7 instead of a note on a staff. The number shows the note's position in the song's scale -- not its exact pitch -- so the same tune looks identical no matter what key it's sung in.

Within one octave, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 correspond to the familiar do re mi fa sol la ti. A dot above a number raises it an octave higher; a dot below lowers it an octave lower -- no dot means the middle, as-written octave.

A plain number lasts one beat. A dash (-) right after a number holds that same note for one more beat. A line underneath a number shortens it instead -- one line is half a beat, two lines a quarter of a beat. A 0 is a rest: silence for one beat.

The label at the top of the sheet, like "1=C" or "1=Ab", shows which pitch scale degree 1 ("do") is tuned to. A song in a minor key is labeled "6=X" instead -- scale degree 6 ("la") is the true tonic. Chord names printed above the notes (like "C" or "G7") always use their familiar letter names, never numbers.

For example, under a "1=C" heading, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 sound as C D E F G A B. Under a "1=G" heading, those very same numbers sound as G A B C D E F# instead -- same shape, different key.

Strong are the walls around me

Comfort in Trials By Enjoyment in Suffering

English725
1
Strong are the walls around me,
That hold me all the day;
But they who thus have bound me,
Cannot keep God away:
My very dungeon walls are dear,
Because the God I love is here.
2
They know, who thus oppress me,
’Tis hard to be alone;
But know not One can bless me,
Who comes through bars and stone;
He makes my dungeon’s darkness bright,
And fills my bosom with delight.
3
Thy love, O God, restores me
From sighs and tears to praise;
And deep my soul adores Thee,
Nor thinks of time or place:
I ask no more, in good or ill,
But union with Thy holy will.
4
’Tis that which makes my treasure,
’Tis that which brings my gain;
Converting woe to pleasure,
And reaping joy from pain.
Oh, ’tis enough, whate’er befall,
To know that God is All in all.

Delete Comment

Delete this comment? This cannot be undone.
MB

Philippines

Oct 11, 2022

This hymn reminds me of a portion from the 'life study of Genesis by Witness Lee':

If Joseph had not stayed in the dungeon for twelve years, he would not have been qualified to rule over the land of Egypt. For this, he had to be thirty years of age. Those twelve years in the dungeon accomplished a great deal for him, not through objective education, but through subjective suffering and discipline... Young people, no matter how long your trial may be, do not be disappointed. You need to recognize that your trial is of God. No one can be enthroned without being tried and tested.... If you seek the Lord, the Lord will put you into a dungeon. Perhaps all who are around you—your wife, your children, the elders, and the brothers and sisters—intend to respect you; however, whatever they do only serves to put you into a dungeon. We have nothing to say about this. Without the dungeon, we cannot ascend to the throne. Do not be a dungeon dropout; stay in the dungeon until you graduate and receive the crown. You need the last two years... We need to say, "Hallelujah for the dungeon! Although I have been here for ten years, I need to stay another two years." Again I say, do not drop out of the dungeon. Stay there and stay there gloriously, with praises to the Lord, not with the gnashing of teeth.

Read more
Bernie Luna

Anaheim, CA, United States

Jul 11, 2022

As I was praying to whom I could fellowship and pray with... feeling rather alone... I opened my hymnal to find a hymn for assurance. It was already opened to this hymn... what grace flowed to me... He always knows... He always comes... hallelujah... hallelujah.

Read more
Milan Vangeľ

Slovakia

Oct 2, 2016

I realized now that this hymn requires a price to pay for anyone to understand its meaning. There are depths of God which are not revealed so easily.

Read more
June Christie

London, United Kingdom

Jan 26, 2015

The 'freedom' we think we have outside of Christ is a lie of the evil one and the deceiving world. To be captured by Christ, to be 'in Him' is the true and real freedom for the soul. Those who 'know' Him and therefore love Him, 'would not go out free', for we love, we love our master and will not go out free. Thank the Lord for the cage of His love.

Read more
Pastor Robert Turton III

Hightstown, NJ, United States

Feb 11, 2013

The preaching theme for our Sunday evening service on 17 February 2013 in our 173-year-old Fresh Ponds Chapel near Dayton, NJ, is on "Walls, Windows, and Doors in the Bible," with three of our members giving the homilies. We have some hymns that refer to windows and doors, but could not think of one that mentions "walls," so I typed this question into the search section wherein we discovered one not known to us: "Strong Are the Walls Around Me," which we plan on including in the meeting this Sunday. Thank you for this opportunity.

Read more
Chris Lopez

Aurora, CO, United States

Mar 8, 2012

A martyr's song, only a martyr can understand.

Read more