[3][4]: 55–57  Between 1861 and 1875, Sullivan composed a wide range of music, including incidental music for plays, a ballet, a symphony, a cello concerto, concert overtures, a cantata, an oratorio, several operettas, a song cycle, and numerous hymns, parlour ballads and other pieces.

[2]: 19–76 Anthems were in demand in a period of choral revival in the second half of the 19th century, for smaller churches, rather than cathedrals, which still favoured Tudor music.

[5] "I Will Mention the Loving-kindnesses" was published by Novello in 1875,[5] with a dedication to Sullivan's friend, the music director John Stainer.

[7] Sullivan set a text from the Old Testament which praises in general God's friendly attitude towards his people (in Hebrew: Chesed), guiding and saving them.

The tenor continues with the line "So He said: Surely they are my people, children that will not lie:", and the following "So He was their Redeemer", which can be interpreted as the message of Easter, is set for the choir, singing softly in unison even long notes, with no movement even in the accompaniment.