Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

William Williams, Halleluiah (Bristol, England: 1745) (Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch). Translated from Welsh to English by Peter Williams, Hymns on Various Subjects (Carmarthen, Wales: 1771); Williams published another English translation in Lady Huntingdon’s Collection, circa 1772. This hymn was sung at the wedding of Britain’s Prince William & Catherine Middleton in Westminster Abbey, London, April 29, 2011.

Cwm Rhondda, John Hughes, 1907 (MIDI, NWC, PDF). Hughes wrote this tune in Tonteg (near Pontypridd), Wales, to commemorate a music festival held in nearby Capel Rhondda, Hopkinstown. It was first performed November 1 that year to Welsh words by Ann Griffiths; in the early days it was simply known as Rhondda, but within a year he changed the name to Cwm Rhondda, used Peter Williams’ translation, and the rest is history. Alternate tunes (some use slightly different endings to the lyrics):

Guide Me, George W. Warren 1884 (MIDI, NWC, PDF)
Oliphant, arranged from Pierre M. F. de S. Baillot, 1830, by Lowell Mason, 1832 MIDI, NWC, PDF)
Pilgrimage, George J. Elvey, 1861 (MIDI, NWC, PDF)
Segur, Joseph P. Holbrook, 1862 (MIDI, NWC, PDF)
Turner, Walter O. Wilkinson, 1895 (MIDI, NWC, PDF)
Zion, Thomas Hastings, 1830 (MIDI, NWC, PDF)

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
[or Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer…]
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.

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 deaths, 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.

Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!