Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem

Subject: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: GUEST,cnd
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:04 PM

No, this is not related to the anti-Semetic sons of Jerusalem song, it's a Christian song. I've got most of the lyrics pinned down except one word

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmsmnjz8hKM

Here are my lyrics so far:

DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM

Daughters of Jerusalem, my ??chowest?? in array (might owe its sin array??)
Come lay upon my bosom, where the one disciple lay
Daughters of Jerusalem, it is the close of day
Listen, I'm calling to you

I've sent the Holy Ghost and Fire to gather into One
My virgins fair, the undefiled, our Father's will be done
But you must run the race, love, until the race is won
Listen, I'm calling to you

Calling to you, my love, listen, I'm calling to you
Calling to you, my love, listen, I'm calling to you

Repeat

Any help deciphering that 5th word would be appreciated. Lyrics online say "choicest" or "fondest," but there's definitely a "w" noise

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: GUEST,cnd
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:07 PM

Sorry, mis-spoke, it's not sons of Jerusalem, it was sons of Moses

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:25 PM

Hmmmm. I could be hearing "tallest in array."

Here's another site where cnd has posted the questionL http://www.namethathymn.com/hymn-lyrics-detective-forum/index.php?a=vtopic&t=15319

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 10:09 AM

I think it was supposed to be "my chosen array," but the singers were putting in an oi sound because the word "choice" was in their minds.

Possibly pronouncing chosen as choisen was part of their dialect.

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 11:46 AM

I can't access the link in the first post in work, but I would suggest "fairest".

A search for "Lay upon my bosom" took me to this site with the full poem:

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 04:12 PM

As this page (click) says, the "daughters of Jerusalem" are mentioned seven times in the Song of Songs (also known as the Song of Solomon). The Song of Songs is one of those apocryphal or Deuterocanonical parts of the Bible that not everyone accepts.
Garrison Keillor often recalls how the Song of Songs gave him teenage fantasies during long church services in Lake Wobegon. Now that your curiosity (or whatever) has been aroused, here's the text:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+1-8&version=NRSV

This poetry is the most erotic stuff you'll find in the Bible. Look no further.

Subject: RE: Lyr HELP: Daughters of Jerusalem
From: GUEST,cnd
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 05:38 PM

Thanks Nigel, I've actually seen that site before. I actually used it to help with the rest of the lyrics.

Leenia, I think you're on to something. Maybe "my choice in array?" with choice pronounced "cho-oice" in array? But I'm honestly not sure that makes sense

On a related note, I've been working on tracking down a composer. A book I found here credits 3 songs under the name, composed by Gounod, Elvey, or H.J. King. Elvey's version (here) and Gounod's version (downloadable here) appear to be by-and-large the same, but not the right song.

I could not find H.J. King's version either