Bless His Holy Name

King David wrote Psalm 103, and it has inspired countless other writers to meditate on all the blessings of following God. Andraé Crouch based this hymn on the opening of the psalm: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

Many well-known Christian hymns are inspired by the Word of God, and combined with music creates a powerful worship offering to God. That’s what Crouch did.

Andraé Crouch is a name most of us our familiar with. He was born in 1942 to Benjamin and Catherine Crouch. His father was a minister in the Church of God in Christ and pastored Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in Pacoima, California. When he was young, Crouch's parents owned and operated Crouch Cleaners, a dry-cleaning business, as well as a restaurant business in Los Angeles, California. In addition to running the family's businesses, Crouch's parents also had a Christian street-preaching ministry and a hospital and prison ministry.

When Crouch was 11, his father was invited to speak for several weeks at a small church as a guest preacher. Crouch's father and the church's congregation encouraged the young boy to play during the services. At the piano, Crouch found the key in which the congregation was singing and started to play. After this, Crouch honed his piano-playing skills and, in time, wanted to write his own music. When he was 14 years old, he wrote his first Gospel song.

Crouch went on to sing, write and record hymns sung by many today, including “My Tribute,” and “Through It All.” He served as senior pastor of the church founded by his parents and died in 2015 at age 72 following a heart attack.

Crouch was an incredible, well-recognized influence in gospel music. Among other honors, he won seven Grammy’s, six Dove Awards, an Oscar nomination, inclusion in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Crouch’s musical talent graced movies like “The Color Purple” and “The Lion King.” He was a musical channel for worship within the church and a bridge for Christ outside the church walls.

King David, in the second verse of Psalm 103, lists many benefits including forgiveness for sin, healing from disease, redemption from hell, love, mercy, goodness, and renewal of our youth “like the eagle’s.” David praises God for working righteousness and justice for all the oppressed, making Himself known, extending merciful grace, and remaining slow to anger and steadfast in love. From this psalm, we understand that God removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west and that God is compassionate to us as a father shows compassion to his children.

King David reflects on the fleeting nature of a single life. Our “days are like grass” compared to God’s steadfast love that endures from “everlasting to everlasting” and a righteousness that extends to the next generation. Psalm 103 is one of the much-loved Old Testament psalms about God's love and compassion for his people.

Refrain

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"

 

Hebrew 12:28

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

Biblehub.com, Matthew Poole’s Commentary:  Let us get and hold fast that gracious temper of soul, whereby they are made true, wise, believing, loving, humble, and obedient subjects to the laws of this Kingdom, and manifest it by worshipping, serving and walking with God in this world.

Psalm 84:12

“Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: Blessed in every respect; his lot is a happy one; happy in Thy friendship; happy in being permitted to worship Thee; happy in the blessings which religion scatters along his path here; happy in Thy sustaining grace in times of trial; happy in the support given in the hour of death; happy in the eternity to which he is going. Oh, that all men would try it, and experience in their own souls the happiness - the real, genuine, deep, permanent joy - of trusting in God; of believing that there is a God; of confiding in His character; of leaning on Him in every situation in life; of relying on His mercy, His grace, and His faithfulness, in the hour of death!

Verse One

“He has done great things,

He has done great things,

He has done great things,

Bless his holy name!”

Job 37:5

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: Great things in creation, the nature and causes of which lie greatly out of the reach of man; and which he rather guesses at than knows, and still less comprehends. Great things in providence; in sustaining all creatures and providing for them; and in the government of the world, and in His dispensations in it; His judgments being unsearchable, and His ways past finding out: and great things in grace; as the salvation of sinners by Christ, and the conversion of their souls by His Spirit; and even what is known of them is known but in part and very imperfectly.

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Elihu felt that Job needed a good dose of the greatness of God. It was good advice wrongly applied to Job’s situation. Elihu did rightly understand that the mighty sound of thunder seems to man to be the voice of God. “Nor is there a sound in nature more descriptive of, or more becoming, the Majesty of God, than that of thunder. We hear the breeze in its rustling, the rain in its pattering, the hail in its rattling, the wind in its hollow howlings, the cataract in its dash, the bull in his bellowing, the lion in his roar; but we hear God, the Almighty, the Omnipresent, in the continuous peal of thunder! This sound, and this sound only, becomes the majesty of Jehovah.” (Clarke)  He does great things which we cannot comprehend: This is a repetition of Elihu’s theme that Job had transgressed the line that separates God and man, and that Job presumed to know more than he could or should know from God. In this, Elihu was partially correct.

Psalm 71:19

“Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?”

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: In His work of creation; in His providence; in His manifested mercy toward His people. He had done things so great as to show that He could protect those who put their trust in Him.

Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: In nature, in forming the world out of nothing, and in upholding all creatures in their beings; in providence, in governing the world, and ordering all things in it for the best, and to answer the wisest purposes; in grace, in the salvation of lost sinners by Christ; in the justification of them by His righteousness; and in the atonement and pardon of their sins, through His blood and sacrifice; in the regeneration of them by His grace; in making and performing exceeding great and precious promises, and in giving them eternal life;

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: The psalmist considered the greatness of God, first in that His righteousness was of a different order than that of men, very high above that of men; and then, that God is the one who has done great things, beyond what men can do. The surpassing righteousness and power of God made him ask, O God, who is like You?

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

En.wikipedia.org

Christianity.com, Lori Stanley Roeleveld

Godtube.com

By His Grace . . . 

Near to the Heart ofGod

A wonderful hymn was born during a time of tremendous suffering and sadness. Cleland McAfee, author of “Near to the Heart of God" found that unexpected problems or crises may come into our lives. Often, we cannot escape the pressures and shadows that accompany those problems. However, these can be faced with spiritual strength, which God faithfully provides.

It has been more than a century since McAfee penned the words of this hymn, yet Christians today find them as comforting as did the people of that earlier time. We, too, need a place of rest, a place of comfort, a place where all is joy and peace.

Cleland Boyd McAfee was born in Missouri, September 25, 1866, as one of five children. He graduated from Park College in Parkville, Missouri. Cleland’s father had founded Park College in 1875. Cleland furthered his studies at Union Theological Seminary, New York.

After his studies in New York, he returned to Park College to pastor the campus church as well as direct its choir, serve as a professor of philosophy and dean. On August 10, 1892, McAfee married Harriet "Hattie" Lawson Brown; they had three children, Ruth Myrtle, Katharine Agnes, and Mildred Helen.

In 1903, while Cleland was pastoring in Chicago, tragedy struck his family. His brother Howard’s two infant daughters died from diphtheria within 24 hours of each other. 

The situation was made even more difficult by the fact that his brother’s house had to be quarantined to prevent the spread of the terrifying disease. People were unable to go inside to express their condolences, and the parents were not permitted to leave the house to attend the double funeral service for the two girls.

Cleland sat up very late, praying and pondering what he could say in a sermon the following Sunday and what kind of music he could compose to bring comfort to his family and the congregation. The wonderful hymn presented in this story was the outcome of his meditation. Cleland’s daughter described how this hymn was written:

“The family was stricken with grief. My father often told us how he sat long and late thinking of what could be said in word and song on the coming Sunday…. So he wrote the little song ‘Near to the Heart of God.’ The choir learned it at the regular Saturday night rehearsal, and afterward they went to Howard McAfee’s home and sang it as they stood under the sky outside the darkened, quarantined house. It was sung again on Sunday morning at [Cleland’s] church.”

McAfee also pastored at the Lafayette Avenue Church of Brooklyn, in Brooklyn, New York and taught systematic theology at McCormick Theological Seminary from 1912 to 1930

In 1912, McAfee authored the treatise, "The Greatest English Classic: A Study of The King James Version of The Bible." He was moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church and led the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions from 1930 to 1936.

McAfee died in 1944. His wife went on to become president of Wellesley College and the first director of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the United State Navy.

Verse One

“There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where sin cannot molest,

Near to the heart of God.”

 

Isaiah 32:17

“The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: Righteousness, cultivated by peace, produces tranquility of mind and permanent security.

Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: Paul does not mean the Christian will never again in his life on earth yield to sin. He has made this fact abundantly clear. Instead, he here refers to sin as a dominant power, and he means no longer will sin be lord over the Christian. The Christian lives under the reign of another Lord now—the Lord Jesus Christ. Never again will the believer be held helplessly under sin’s sway—unless of course he wantonly turns his back on the Lord who has redeemed him. As long as he lives on earth, however, sin will continue to assault him; but he will be under Christ and by His authority be free to fight against sin’s usurped power.

Verse Two

“There is a place of comfort sweet,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where we our Savior meet,

Near to the heart of God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: God shows Himself to be the God of tender mercy by comforting us in all our tribulation-never leaving us a prey to anxiety, persecution, or temptation; but, by the comforts of His Spirit, bearing us up in, through, and above, all our trials and difficulties.

Studylight.org, Gann’s Commentary on the Bible: This God of ours comforts us constantly and unfailingly, not spasmodically and intermittently; and He does so in all our affliction, not just in certain kinds of affliction." Hughes, p. 12.

Psalm 119:76

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight: The psalmist prayed with the understanding that God’s tender mercies came to him through the Word (law) of God. By staying close to God’s Word and letting it fill his life, he also received God’s tender care.

Verse Three

“There is a place of full release,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where all is joy and peace,

Near to the heart of God.”

Isaiah 55:12

“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: When God’s people turn to Him, listen to Him, and His Word does His work in them, joy and peace are always the result. The joy is so great that even the mountains and the hills, and the trees of the field join in. The picture is clear; in His glorious work of restoration, God takes away the barren and the cursed, and brings forth beauty and fruit . . . When the LORD restores, all the work is done for His name, and for His glory. When the LORD restores, the work is secure; it is an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Studylight.org, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible: The Christian era was ushered in with the double promise of peace and joy, the peace being prophesied by Zacharias . . . Such a glorious peace and joy are available from no other source than the life of faith in Jesus Christ. These priceless endowments of the soul are the Christian’s badge of eternal inheritance, his true credentials of heavenly citizenship, and his impregnable defense against all the tribulations and temptations of life. Having peace with God and the joy of the Spirit in his soul, the Christian is redeemed indeed.

Refrain

“O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God.

Hold us who wait before Thee,

Near to the heart of God.”

Psalm 78:35

“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: That is, they were brought to reflect that their only security and defense was God. They were made to feel that they could not rely on themselves, or on any human power, and that their only trust was in God . . . And the high God their Redeemer -- The God who is exalted over all; the true and living God. The truth was brought to their recollection that it was He who had delivered them from bondage in Egypt, and who had brought them out into freedom.

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: That God was their rock — They recollected in their affliction that Jehovah was their Creator, and their Father; the Rock, the Source, not only of their being, but of all their blessings; or, that He was their sole Protector . . . And the high God their Redeemer. "And the strong God the Most High, their Kinsman." That one who possessed the right of redemption; the nearest akin to Him who had forfeited His inheritance; so the word originally means, and hence it is often used for a Redeemer. The Hebrew word answers to the Greek a Savior; and is given to the Lord Jesus Christ, the strong God, the Most High, the Redeemer of a lost world.

  

I am indebted to the following resources:

Enjoyingthejourney.org

Umcdiscipleship.com, Dr. Hawn

Staugustine.com, Lindsay Terry

By His Grace . . . 

 

God of Our Fathers

 

Many hymns have been written to celebrate great events in the life of Christ. But today’s hymn is only one of a few that have been written for patriotic causes. The occasion for the writing of “God of Our Fathers” was the centennial of the Declaration of Independence in 1876.

Daniel Crane Roberts, a shy man, never conceived that his hymn would achieve such popularity. His humble demeanor deflected attention from himself. He wrote six years before his death: "I remain a country parson, known only within my own small world."

In reference to his one significant literary work, he noted, “My little hymn has thus had a very flattering official recognition. But that which would really gladden my heart, popular recognition, it has not received.” That changed when our nation was preparing to celebrate the centennial of the United States Constitution. 

Roberts was born on Long Island in New York and attended college in Ohio. There is no other information about his early life. When the Civil War started, he joined the Union Army as a member of the 84th Ohio Volunteers. 

Roberts was later ordained as an Episcopal deacon in 1865 and as a priest in 1866.  As the 35-year-old rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a small rural church in Brandon, Vermont, Roberts wanted a new hymn for his congregation to celebrate the American Centennial in 1876. He wrote "God of Our Fathers" and his congregation sang it to a tune called "Russian Hymn."

Some years later, the Episcopal Church decided to publish a new hymnal and invited input.  Roberts submitted this hymn for consideration but was so uncertain of its worth that he did so anonymously.  He was surprised when it was selected and published in 1892. He then provided his name.

It was at the same time that the nation was preparing to celebrate the centennial of the United States Constitution.  George William Warren was one of the people involved in those preparations.  He became aware of this hymn because of his work on the hymnal project.  Based on his recommendation, the planners for the national celebration wanted to adopt the hymn for official use but could not choose it with a tune called "Russian Hymn".

They asked Warren to write a new tune, and he wrote the tune that we use with this hymn today, entitled "National Hymn."  Because of its use in that national celebration, the hymn became widely known, and as new hymnals were published, most of them included this hymn.  It has been widely sung now for more than a century.

Roberts ministered to Christ Church, Montpelier, Vermont; St. John's Church, Lowell, Massachusetts; St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Brandon, Vermont; and for many years, St. Paul's Church, Concord, New Hampshire.

He was also widely known throughout New Hampshire for his work as president of the New Hampshire Historical Society, as chaplain of the Grand Army of the Republic and as an active member in the Knights Templar.

Before his death in 1907 he was awarded several honors including the Doctor of Divinity by Norwich University.

Verse One

“God of our fathers, whose Almighty Hand,

Leads forth in beauty all the starry band;

Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,

Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.”

Job 38:7

“While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: There can be little doubt that angelic beings are intended here, though some have thought that the stars literally are referred to, and that they seemed to unite in a chorus of praise when another world was added to their number . . .  The comparison of a prince, a monarch, or an angel, with a star, is not uncommon . . . The expression “the morning-stars” is used on account of the beauty of the principal star which, at certain seasons of the year, leads on the morning. It is applied naturally to those angelic beings that are of distinguished glory and rank in heaven . . . United in a grand chorus or concert of praise.

Studylight.org, Smith’s Bible Commentary: God is now talking to Job about the creation of the earth, about nature. Pointing out that Job knows so little about nature . . . Now, the morning stars, the word star oftentimes refers to the angels . . . We see God as He is bringing the earth into existence and the angels, the morning stars, are singing together and all the sons of God are shouting for joy. The sons of God referring again to angels . . . What a glorious scene that must have been when God created the earth and the angels, the morning stars, sang together.

Verse Two

“Thy love divine hath led us in the past,

In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,

Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,

Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.”

Romans 1:20

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: God shows us something of His eternal power and divine nature through creation, by the things that are made. He has given a general revelation that is obvious both in creation and within the mind and heart of man.

Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: His deity; divinity; divine nature, or essence. The word is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. Its meaning cannot therefore be fixed by any parallel passages. It proves the truth that the supremacy, or supreme divinity of God, was exhibited in the works of creation, or that he was exalted above all creatures and things.

Acts 2:28

“You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.”

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: This properly means the path to life; the road to preferment or honor; the path to happiness; It means, Thou wilt make known to me life itself, that is, Thou wilt restore me to life.

Psalm 119:35

“Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Despite his delight and desire for God’s Word, the psalmist knows he cannot walk in God’s path without God’s empowering.

Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the entire Bible: Lead, guide, direct me in the path, and use me to it; work in me both to will and to do; give both ability and a willing mind to walk therein; by granting fresh supplies of grace, and  more spiritual strength; by drawing with the cords of love, and by putting in him the good spirit of grace, to cause to walk in the statues of the Lord and keep his judgments and do them.

Verse Three

“From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence,

Be Thy strong arm our ever-sure defense;

Thy true religion in our hearts increase,

Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.”

Psalm 118:14

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: It was the Lord that strengthened him [David], helped him, and gave him the victory. The Lord is the author and giver of strength, natural and spiritual; He is the "strength" of the hearts and lives of His people, and of their salvation; they sing of His nature and perfections, of His works of providence and grace, of His righteousness and salvation.

Psalm 89:13

“Your arm is endowed with power; Your hand is strong, Your right hand exalted.”

Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: Thou hast great power - the arm being the instrument by which we accomplish our purposes . . . the hand, too, is an instrument by which we execute our plans. Hence, God is so often represented as having delivered his people with a strong hand.

Verse Four

“Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,

Lead us from night to never ending day;

Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,

And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.”

Psalm 31:3

“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”

Biblehib.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: For Thou art my Rock and my Fortress -Therefore for Thy name's sake - For the sake of Thine own honor, or for the glory of Thy name. since I put my trust in Thee -- show, by leading and guiding me, that my trust is well founded, or that this is Thy character, and that Thou wilt be true and faithful to those who commit their all to Thee.

Acts 3:19

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: "That the times of refreshing may come," seasons of rest, and deliverance from the violent heat of persecution; which was the case of the saints at the destruction of Jerusalem; they were not only saved from that ruin but delivered from the wrath of their most implacable enemies. The Ethiopic version renders it, "and the day of mercy shall come from the presence of the Lord", repenting sinners find mercy; and a discovery of pardon is a time of mercy; and when God grants this, he affords his presence.

This hymn’s stirring lyrics and majestic tune represent, albeit subtly, the common 19th-century assumption of Manifest Destiny: God will lead us from the war and pestilence of our earlier captivity to the freedom and light of peace.

A nation is only Christian when its citizens love and serve Jesus Christ. Therefore, when we pray for our country, let us first pray for the conversion of her citizens.

Today, when it seems that to be "in" one is expected to rule patriotism "out," it is necessary to recall the emphasis of Scripture regarding a Christian’s duty to country. "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s" commanded the perfect Patriot in Mark 12: 17. And one of Christ’s chief disciples wrote, "Submit yourself for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the King, as the supreme authority, or to governors who are sent by him.” (1 Peter 2:13)

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

Songsandhymns.org

Barryshymns.blogspot.com

Umcdiscipleheship.org, Dr Hawn

By His Grace . . .

Surely Goodness and Mercy

This hymn was the collaboration of two well-known gospel music writers, John W. Peterson and Alfred B. Smith. In 1958, the two men collaborated to write a song based on Psalm 23.

Smith later recalled, “It was written after receiving a letter from a country schoolteacher who was teaching her class the 23rd Psalm. When the part ‘surely goodness and mercy’ was reached, a young boy thought it said, ‘surely good Miss Murphy shall follow me all the days of my life.’ This little incident focused our thoughts on the phrase which became the heart and title of the song.”

According to Peterson, “One day while improvising at the piano in my Montrose, PA studio, Alfred B. Smith, with whom I was associated at the time, walked in. For no particular reason that I can remember, we started to develop a new song. I would come up with a thought, then Al. In a short time ‘Surely Goodness and Mercy’ was born. I had never worked with another writer in such a manner to compose a song. Later Al and I wrote two or three other numbers like that.”

John Willard Petersen was born in Lindsborg, Kansas in 1921, into a musical Swedish family. During WWII, he served in the Air Force as a pilot, flying the notorious "China Hump" route over the Himalayas.

Following the war, he received his musical training at the Moody Bible Institute and the American Conservatory of Music. He has since received honorary doctorate degrees from the Western Conservative Baptist Seminary and from John Brown University.

Alfred Barney Smith was born in 1916 in a small Holland Dutch community in northern New Jersey. Smiths’ early years were filled with loving care from a father and mother who loved the Lord. His mother was a stay-at-home mother who was able to spend her time encouraging and teaching her son in the three “R’s,” reading, writing, and arithmetic, to which she added the fourth "R," religion.

At an early age Smith learned the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Noah and the Ark and best of all the story of Jesus. Though his mother had never received any extensive musical training she did love to sing. The first song she taught young Smith was “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Music would be one of the most important ingredients in his childhood home. A Symphonic model phonograph manufactured by Thomas Alva Edison was purchased. With the phonograph came twenty-five records chosen by the company. At the time, little did the young parents realize how much the included records would affect the future of their young son.

When Smith was eight and a half years of age his mother began to see that her son was developing an interest in the violin. He began taking lessons on the violin and made great progress. Soon he was performing in concerts in various parts of the east including solos with various symphony orchestras.

At fourteen he was invited to a tent meeting in Hawthorne, New Jersey, where he accepted Christ as Savior. He was thrilled upon hearing the one hundred and fifty people in the tent singing “Saved, Saved, Saved” and “One Day.” That day he fell in love with Gospel music It was a love that never left him.

Smith graduated from Moody Bible Institute and attended The Philadelphia School of the Bible. He was offered a scholarship to Wheaton College. He became acquainted with Billy Graham and worked with him, Graham preaching, and Smith coordinating the music. He participated in the ministries of Singspiration and Youth for Christ.

Smith married Nancy Wilbur and they raised four children. In his later years he battled cancer. Despite this he continued to travel and minister in song and story to countless numbers, his last concert was to an audience of over 2000 people.

Verse One

“A pilgrim was I and a-wand’ring,

In the cold night of sin I did roam.

When Jesus, the kind Shepherd, found me,

And now I am on my way home.”

John 10:11

“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: Our Lord had called Himself the Door of the sheep, as being the sole way to glory, and entrance into eternal life; here He changes the thought, and calls Himself the Good Shepherd, because of what He was to do for them that believe in Him, in order to prepare them for eternal glory.

Psalm 32:6

“Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.”

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: Because Thou art merciful; because Thou hast shown mercy to all who have truly turned to Thee and believed in Thee; everyone who fears Thee, and hears of this, shall pray unto Thee in an acceptable time, when Thou mayest be found; in the time of finding. When the heart is softened and the conscience alarmed, that is a time of finding.

Verse Two

“He restoreth my soul when I’m weary;

He giveth me strength day by day.

He leads me beside the still waters;

He guards me each step of the way.

Psalm 31:3

“Since You are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.”

Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: The psalmist desires the Lord would lead him in the way of truth and paths of righteousness, according to His Word; and guide him with His counsel, and by His Spirit, that so he might walk in the way in which he should go; and this he entreats he would do “for His name’s sake” not for any merit or worthiness in him; but for the glory of His own name, and for the honor of His free grace and mercy, for which the Lord often does many things; He defers His anger, He purges away the sins of His people, He forgives their transgressions, and remembers their sins no more, for His name’s sale.

Verse Three

“When I walk through the dark, lonesome valley,

My Savior will walk with me there;

And safely His Great Hand will lead me,

To the mansions He’s gone to prepare.”

Psalm 84:6

“As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”

BlueletterBible.org, David Guzik: The heart for God’s house provided wisdom and strength for the life lived away from God’s house. A difficult place (such as the Valley of Baca) was transformed into a spring, complete with rain and pools of water.

 2 Corinthians 13:11

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: Obeying the above traits [unity of faith, encourager, one mind, peace] will ensure that God, our Creator of love and peace, will always be with us.

Verse Four

“And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever;

And I’ll feast at the table spread for me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,

All the days, all the days of my life.”

Luke 14:15

“When one of those at the table with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of God.’”

Studylight.org, Dr Constable’s Expository Notes: Jesus continued to use the meal in the Pharisee’s house to teach about the messianic banquet and the kingdom to come. He had taught the importance of humbling oneself to participate and had justified that requirement. Now He invited His hearers to humble themselves so they could participate and warned those who rejected His invitation of their fate.

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God! The man spoke of the goodness and blessedness of the great banquet with the Messiah that was spoken of many times in the Old Testament and is known in the New Testament as the marriage supper of the Lamb. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!

Psalm 122:1

“I rejoice with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

BlueletterBible.org: David Guzik: We should go into the house of the LORD. It is good and important for us to gather with God’s people for prayers, worship, and receiving of God’s Word. The gathering should be formal and ordered enough so that it is regarded as a gathering of God’s house — not everyone doing their own thing, but God’s people coming together for His glory and their benefit in His house.

Revelation 19:9

“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’”

Studylight.org, Bridgeway Bible Commentary: God’s rule has been clearly demonstrated in the destruction of the anti-Christian world system and the triumph of his persecuted people. That triumph is now pictured in a heavenly wedding feast in which the redeemed are seen as the bride of Christ. They are clothed in pure white to indicate their heavenly purity. The symbolism then changes. The redeemed, though pictured collectively as a bride, are pictured individually as those invited to share the wedding feast with Christ. John, overcome by the vision, is tempted to worship the angel who explained it to him. He is reminded that Jesus, not the angel, is the source of all these revelations.

Refrain

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,

All the days, all the days of my life.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,

All the days, all the days of my life.”

We are reminded through this hymn that just as David, we are all pilgrims through the journey of life. Charles Spurgeon wrote “The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable ‘my.’ If He is a Shepherd to no one else, He is a Shepherd to me. He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the present tense. Whatever the believer’s position, he is even now under the pastoral care of Jehovah.”

 

I am indebted to the follow resources:

Dianaleaghmatthews.com

Livinghymns.org

Johnwpetersonmusic.com

Allmusic.com, Jason Ankeny

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace; 101 More Hymn Stories

By His Grace . . .