Uses: General, Patriotic, Funeral, Lent Several years ago, Shawnee Press released an anthem that was to become a testimony of promise to countless people across the nation. Written for and dedicated to the people of Oklahoma City as they struggled to heal after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building on April 19, 1995, Canticle of Hope has been used to bring comfort and peace in times of tribulation. Lyrics by J. Paul Williams.