Hymn: He Leadeth Me

Today, I encourage you to meditate on the only hymn ever written by a man named Joseph H. Gilmore. He penned the words in 1862. In 1864, William Bradbury put music to the words. Gilmore didn't realize music had been put to his hymn until 1865! Bradbury died 3 years later. To read up on the background of this hymn, look here.

You can also look here for images and hymn background.

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He Leadeth Me

(Verses)
He leadeth me, O blessèd thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom, (bowers are pleasant, shady places in gardens or woods)
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine; (Discovery Singers say, “Nor ever doubt thy grace divine”)
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

(Chorus)
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

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It's especially interesting to meditate on God's leading in our time and culture. Many of us have been raised in a culture that teaches us to plan our own way. It can be a difficult task to learn how to follow God's lead. How do we become sensitive to his leading? On this matter, I highly recommend consulting Dallas Willard's book, Hearing God, and Klaus Issler's book, Wasting Time with God. These men have written many wise words on the subject.

I am inspired by the phrase, “Content whatever lot I see.” This sentence rings with Paul's words in Philippians 4:10-13. It is certainly a challenging call to devote ourselves to spiritual disciplines which will train us to be content whatever our circumstances. I think contentment is a huge problem in our culture. Lack of contentment leads to griping and complaining (a subject I will post about later). How content are we? On what do we base our contentment?

On an interesting side note, William Bradbury also wrote the music for Anna B. Warner's hymn, “Jesus Loves Me”. Warner wrote the first stanza - the one most Christians know - and 5 other stanzas were later added. Bradbury also wrote the music for “'Tis Midnight, and on Olive's Brow”, “The Solid Rock”, and “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, among several other hymns.