Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

‘Guide me, O though great redeemer’ is without doubt one of the great Welsh hymns. It has a tune that is difficult to forget and a text that is personal but not sentimental. The words contemporises the Exodus from Egypt, so that the singer identifies their own ‘pilgrim’ with that of the Israelites: Manna from heaven becomes the Bread of the Eucharist; Pillars of cloud and fire the Holy Spirit; and Canaan, Heaven. It’s a hymn that pops up at almost every state and royal occasion in the UK, and outside the church it has, for unknown reasons, a great following among rugby fans!

Shaun Yong

1. 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.

2. Open thou the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream shall flow;
Let the fiery, 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.

3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, 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.

William Williams (1717-91), trans. Peter Williams (1727-96)

A favourite hymn of Sonja Brun