Hymn Of The Week: October 19, 2020

Hymn of the Week:
Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Glory to God #187

Text Dorothy A. Thrupp 1836
Music William Bradbury 1836

Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us

1
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need your tender care;
In your pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use your folds prepare:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have bought us, we are yours;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have bought us, we are yours.

2
We are yours, in love befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way;
Keep your flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear, O hear your children when we pray;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear, O hear your children when we pray.

3
You have promised to receive us,
Poor and sinful though we be;
You have mercy to relieve us,
Grace to cleanse, and pow'r to free:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to you;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to you.

4
Early let us seek your favor,
Early let us do your will;
Blessed Lord and only Savior,
With your love our spirits fill:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have loved us, love us still;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have loved us, love us still.

This week’s hymn comes back to us after Karen’s wonderful sermon about the lost sheep on October 11. Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us is a tender gospel song with Music by William Bradbury. He, along with his mentor Lowell Mason really began the gospel music movement based on the idea of combining Sunday School and songs. Teachers were looking for songs for the children to sing. Mr. Mason and William Bradbury (who is most famous for the hymn, Jesus Loves Me), felt that the church should have songs that are easy to sing with straightforward texts that are easy to learn and memorize. The gospel song movement was born!

Savior, Like a Shepherd first appeared in an 1836 volume of songs entitled Hymns for the Young which was compiled by Dorothy Thrupp who is attributed to the words of this hymn but that is not certain. What is certain is that the tune comes from Mr. Bradbury and is one of the dozens of children’s hymn books that he put together throughout his life.

Enjoy Brant Olsen’s arrangement played by Susan Larson. Olstad creates a haunting second melody that he weaves in and out of this stunning hymn tune.