Scripture Verse

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Introduction

Words: Au­thor un­known. These words were in print by the ear­ly 19th Cen­tu­ry, ap­pear­ing in Zi­on’s Song­ster, ed­it­ed by Tho­mas Ma­son (New York: 1827).

Music: Christ­mas Is­land J. C. Bur­kett, in The Crown­ing Day, ed­it­ed by James H. Rue­bush, Ja­cob H. Hall & Al­dine S. Kief­fer (Day­ton, Vir­gin­ia: Rue­bush-Kief­fer, 1894), num­ber 11 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know the au­thor, Bur­kett’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of ei­ther per­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Death shall not de­stroy my com­fort,
Christ shall guide me thro’ the gloom;
Down He’ll send some an­gel con­voy
To con­vey my spir­it home.

Refrain

Soon with an­gels I’ll be march­ing
With bright glo­ry on my brow;
Who will share my bliss­ful por­tion,
Who will love my Sav­ior now?

Jordan’s streams shall not o’er­flow me,
While my Sav­ior’s by my side;
Canaan, Ca­naan lies be­fore me,
Rise and cross the swell­ing tide.

Refrain

Smiling an­gels now sur­round me,
Troops re­splen­dent in the skies;
Glory shin­ing all around me
While my hap­py spir­it flies.

Refrain

Jesus, clad in dazz­ling splen­dor,
Now, me­thinks, ap­pears in view!
Brethren, could you see my Je­sus,
You would love and serve Him, too.

Refrain