A request of a popular hymn that has finally been recorded
Title: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Composer: William Williams
Arranger: John Hughes
There were two songs I was going to play for my cousin Rita's friend, whose husband had a stroke. One was "Like A River Glorious", which I played a while back and this was the other one. For this piece I only had an organ and piano duet arrangement, so I had to order the music. When I got it, my printer was also not working. Now that I finally got it and figured out how to print it, I've recorded it for her. This is a hymn that has been used around the globe and across denominational lines. It was also incorporated in two of the most televised services of the last two decades, the funeral of Princess Diana of Wales (1977) and the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (2011). The author of this hymn never intended to be a minister, and instead wished to be a doctor. Eventually after hearing the preaching of Howell Harris, he made the decision to pursue ordination in the Established Church. He became a well known writer of Welsh Methodism, with beautiful imagery, and this hymn contains traces of the hardships he experienced as a traveling minister. I hope you enjoy it.
Lyrics:
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy pow’rful 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 Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer
Sin and Satan and the grave,
Sin and Satan and the grave.
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.