Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more,
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through;
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side;
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee,
I will ever give to Thee.
Stanza 1 translated from the Welsh by Peter Williams (1722–1796)
Stanzas 2 and 3 probably translated by the author
WOULDN’T YOU LIKE to know what next December holds in store for you? But it’s still January! God leads us a day at a time, a step at a time. No need to worry about distant events. The Welsh hymnwriter William Williams compared the Christian life to the Israelites’ trek through the wilderness. We may not know the route by which God is leading us, but we humbly count on His guidance.
As a college student, Williams prepared for a career in medicine. But one Sunday morning he heard a man preaching in a Welsh churchyard. Williams responded in faith, and his life was radically changed. For forty-three years he preached and sang throughout Wales. “He sang Wales into piety,” said one writer. He was the poet laureate of the Welsh revival. Soon all of Wales was singing their way to the coal mines and soccer matches. And their favorite hymn was this marching song by one of their own.
The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
Isaiah 58:11
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