Scripture Verse

I…will hold thine hand, and will keep thee. Isaiah 42:6

Introduction

portrait
Hart P. Danks (1834–1903)

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, in Heart and Voice, ed­it­ed by Will­iam F. Sher­win (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: John Church, 1881), page 108. Some hym­nals give the au­thor as Ida Scott Tay­lor, one of Fan­ny’s pseu­do­nyms.

Music: Ra­pid Ci­ty Hart P. Danks, 1881 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Fanny Crosby (1820–1915)

Lyrics

Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
Hold it fast in Thine;
I am so un­wor­thy,
Thou art all di­vine.
I am weak and sin­ful,
Journeying here be­low,
Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
Never let it go!

Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
Hold it day and night;
Thro’ the mis­ty dark­ness
Bring me to the light.
Keep me close be­side Thee,
Never let me stray;
Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
Lead me all the way.

Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
I am poor and blind;
I am grop­ing, help me
Heav’n and Thee to find!
Keep my feet from fall­ing
To the depths be­low;
Take my hand, my Fa­ther,
Never let it go!