Nearer, My God, to Thee

Words:	6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4 • Sarah Flower Adams (1840), based on Gen 28:10-22; st. 6 Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr. (1876)
Music:	BETHANY • Lowell Mason (1856), with historical influences to rhythm

Words

1.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross
  That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

2.

Though like the wanderer,
  The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
  My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

3.

There let the way appear,
  Steps unto heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me,
  In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

4.

Then with my waking thoughts,
  Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs,
  Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

5.

Or if on joyful wing
  Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
  Upward I fly:
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

(6.)

There in my Father’s home,
  Safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love,
  Perfectly blest;
Age after age to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
  Nearer to Thee!

Compared to Hymnals

	No.	Words	Music
Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs	328	Identical	Alto sings SOL at “shall” in vs 1
Songs for Worship and Praise	585	Lacks vss 3, 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases
Songs of Faith and Praise	684	Lacks vss 3, 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases
Praise for the Lord	450	Lacks vss 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases
Hymns for Worship (Revised)	124	Lacks vss 3, 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Alto sings SOL at “shall” in vs 1
Songs of the Church	364	Lacks vss 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases
Sacred Selections	56	Lacks vss 3, 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases
Christian Hymns No. 2	41	Lacks vss 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases; Alto sings SOL at “shall” in vs 1
Great Songs of the Church No. 2	448	Lacks vss 4, 6; Changes “the wanderer” to “a wanderer”	Uses dotted rhythm at beginning of phrases; No rests at ends of phrases

Sources

Words

William Johnson Fox, Hymns and Anthems (1841)
https://archive.org/details/hymnsandanthems01foxgoog/page/n70/mode/2up
For st. 6, John Julian, “Nearer, My God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee!” in A Dictionary of Hymnology, Vols. 1 & II (1907), which references The Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer, Annotated Edition (1876)

Music

Lowell Mason, The Sabbath Hymn and Tune Book (1859)
https://archive.org/details/sabbtune00maso/page/244/mode/1up

References

J.R. Watson, “Nearer, my God, to thee,” The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology:
https://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/n/nearer,-my-god,-to-thee
John Julian, “Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee!” in A Dictionary of Hymnology (1907), Vol. 1, pp. 792-793:
https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhymn01lond/page/n815/mode/2up

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Nearer, My God, to Thee

Words

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

(6.)

Compared to Hymnals

Sources

Words

Music

References

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