Cattle on a Thousand Hills

God’s Glory, Bluegrass, and Reminders of Grace

A recent review was published about my song “Cattle on a Thousand Hills.” This phrase has been dear to me for many years, drawn from Psalm 50:10:

“For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.”

Psalm 50 reminds us that the Lord’s sovereignty is absolute—He owns all things, independent of mankind. With moments of divine irony, He declares that He is God, and we are not. In this context, we are called to recognize that all the good and pleasant things we see come from His hand. The cattle on a thousand hills serve as a symbol of His majesty, provision, and presence. God calls us to take in the beauty of His creation and, by faith, be led to places of spirit-cleansing gratitude.

Little Joe

As I wrote this song, I reflected on how often I’ve gazed upon cattle grazing on distant hills as quiet reminders of God’s faithfulness in my own life. That is the heart of this song, though I hope each listener finds their own meaning within it.

There is a special peace that comes over me when I look upon the cattle on a thousand hills. As a boy, I was in 4-H and cared for my calf, Little Joe. He won the blue ribbon at the local fair and went on to win at the regional competition. Many nights, I chose to sleep in the barn beside him on the hay rather than stay in a hotel (not that I could have afforded one). I slept like a baby next to that calf, wrapped in the quiet of the night.

You might think the distinct scent of the barn would have sent me running for more comfortable accommodations, but to me, it carried a kind of sacred stillness—a quiet, earthy reassurance that all was well. It wasn’t just the smell of hay and livestock; it was the scent of belonging, of unspoken trust between a boy and his calf, of the simple and steady rhythms of life. Given the choice, I would have rather been with that calf than anywhere else.

Your Vision

I pray that Cattle on a Thousand Hills stirs in you a memory—or perhaps even a present appreciation, a vision, if you will—for the plain, simple joys of life. These moments, whether found in the quiet of a barn, the sight of cattle grazing on rolling hills, or the hush of dawn breaking over the land, are not of our own making. They are gifts from God, reminders that every good and perfect thing comes from Him. Such moments have a way of softening our hearts, awakening a soul-cleansing gratitude that shifts our perspective back to what is true: God is God, and we are not.

Read More About it

You can read the recent HypeHub Magazine (an industry rag) review here: Michael Anthony Milton Rings Bluegrass Truth in “Cattle on a Thousand Hills”. You can stream the song and “follow” on Spotify at no cost:

May the Lord bless you and keep you. Thank you for reading and for sharing in the art and music we occasionally offer.