Song: He leadeth me

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This is hymn #606 in the hymnal.

Joseph Gilmore (1834-1918)
Young ordained Baptist minister filling in at First Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA.
In his words, he started a sermon on Psalm 23, "He leadeth me ...", and that is all the further he got. The words got him thinking and he then composed the words to the song.
Composed during Civil War in 1862, darkest hour of the Civil War, and published in 1864.

1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalms 23:1

All

KJV: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Hebrew: מזמור לדוד יהוה רעי לא אחסר׃

Greek: ψαλμος τω δαυιδ κυριος ποιμαινει με και ουδεν με υστερησει

Latin: canticum David Dominus pascit me nihil mihi deerit

Spanish: Jehová es mi pastor; nada me faltará.

Psalms 23:2

All

KJV: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Hebrew: בנאות דשא ירביצני על מי מנחות ינהלני׃

Greek: εις τοπον χλοης εκει με κατεσκηνωσεν επι υδατος αναπαυσεως εξεθρεψεν με

Latin: in pascuis herbarum adclinavit me super aquas refectionis enutrivit me

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

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Joseph Gilmore's wife sent the poem to Boston to be published.
Music: William Bradbury (1834-1868) saw it in 1864.
He added the last lines "His faithful foll’wer I would be for by His hand He leadeth me".
In 1965, Gilmore interviewed in Rochester, checked the program, opened the hymnal, and was surprised to be singing his hymn.
Some traces of the effect of the Civil War conflict can be seen in the words of the hymn.

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He 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.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.