Hymn Story: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Isaiah 43:2

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;
neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

 

Encouraged by the Welsh Calvinist Methodists to update their hymnal, Williams, the "Sweet Singer of Wales" produced about 800 hymns, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" being the first in 1745.

 

This very personal hymn seeks the same care that God gave the Israelites in the wilderness: "Bread of heaven", the manna in the wilderness, "Open now the crystal fountain", water from the rock, "Let the fire and cloudy pillar", the pillar God used to guide them and protect them in the wilderness.

"Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" has been translated into seventy-five languages. It is so loved in Wales that it is considered an unofficial national anthem

It was first published by Williams in 1745, in Hallelujah, with five six-line stanzas. In 1771, Peter Williams translated stanzas 1, 3 and 5 into English and published them in his Hymns on Various Subjects, 1771. A year later, William Williams, or possibly his son, John Williams, translated another English version, using Peter Williams’ first stanza, then translating stanzas 3 and 4, and adding a new stanza as verse 4. He published it a leaflet with these words: "A favourite hymn sung by Lady Huntingdon’s Young Collegians. Printed by the desire of many Christian friends. Lord, give it Thy blessing!" Most hymnals use the first three stanzas of this translation.

Many are the stories of this beautiful anthem giving people strength in time of adversity. Three women missionaries in China, with bandits outside their door, sang this as though nothing was wrong, receiving comfort and courage from their "Strong Deliverer". Imprisoned with only dry, hard bread and tea, they sang it as Paul and Silas, their spirits undaunted, fed by the "Bread of heaven." In the trenches of Flanders during World War I, it was sung so melodiously by the Welch soldiers that the German soldiers also took it up. Miners sang it on their way to the mines. It could be spontaneously sung at Welsh sporting events, and was sung at Princess Diana’s funeral.

Listen to it here: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah