Lifespring! HymnStories

Bouncing back– that’s a quality to be cultivated, because life is full of struggles. How do we become resilient? Unsinkable? Joyful amid the blows and burdens of life? This hymn tells us:

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day.

This hymn by Fanny Crosby explains the author’s life, for Fanny faced three incredible hardships durning her ninety-five years. The first was her…

Listen to the show for the rest of the story, and to hear the stirring rendition by Scott Wesley Brown.

HE HIDETH MY SOUL

Lyrics: Fanny J. Crosby
Music: William J. Kirkpatrick

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.

Refrain

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.

Refrain

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!

Refrain

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love
I’ll shout with the millions on high.

Jesus, I Come
1887

One of the best histories of the gospel song era is George Stebbins’ autobiography, Reminiscences and Gospel Hymn Stories. Stebbins was born in ht e mid-1880s in New York and showed early musical prowess. At age twenty-three, he moved to Chicago where he worked in churches and became acquainted with some of the “greats” of gospel music, such as Sankey and Bliss. In the late 1870s, D. L. Moody got hold of him, sending him into a lifetime of music evangelism.

Listen to the show for Stebbins’ account of the first time he and D. L. Moody ministered together, and how “Jesus, I Come” came to be written.

Music on Today’s Show

The instrumental version is from Worship Service Resources, 
and is used by permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Wesley Brown graciously granted permission to use his beautiful rendition of an updated version of this classic hymn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Sings my Soul 2 Set – Volumes 1 + 2

 

 

 

 

Jesus, I Come

Lyrics: William T. Sleeper
Music: George C. Stebbins 

1. Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
   Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
   Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
   Jesus, I come to Thee;
   Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
   Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
   Out of my sin and into Thyself,
   Jesus, I come to Thee.
2. Out of my shameful failure and loss,
   Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
   Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
   Jesus, I come to Thee;
   Out of earth’s sorrows, into Thy balm,
   Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
   Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
   Jesus, I come to Thee.
3. Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
   Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
   Into Thy blessed will to abide,
   Jesus, I come to Thee;
   Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
   Out of despair, into raptures above,
   Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
   Jesus, I come to Thee.
4. Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
   Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
   Into the joy and light of Thy home,
   Jesus, I come to Thee;
   Out of the depths of ruin untold,
   Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
   Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
   Jesus, I come to Thee.

 

Jesus must have been a bird watcher, because we see Him refer to birds many times in scripture. Listen to the show for the story of how this encouraging hymn was inspired.

Our hymn is performed beautifully by Natalie Nicole Gilbert.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Lyrics: Civilla D. Martin
Music: Charles H. Gabriel

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Dottie Rambo went to be with the Lord on May 11, 2008.

This episode of Lifespring! HymnStories is dedicated to the memory of one of this generation’s most prolific writers of Christian music.