Lead Kindly Light
Lead, kindly light,
amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark,
and I am far from home;
lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet;
I do not ask to see
The distant scene;
one step enough for me.
Be still, my soul;
the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross
of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order
and provide;
In every change
God faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul;
your best, your heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways
leads to a joyful end.
So long Thy power hath blest me,
sure it still will lead – will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag
and torrent,
till the night is gone,
And with the morn
those angel faces smile,
which I Have loved
long since, and lost awhile!
Which I have loved long since,
And lost awhile.
The chosen presentation of these beautiful songs were to be a Celtic/Welsh, even Scottish backdrop, going back to my family roots. Writer Katharina con Schlegel penned the words to the beautiful music of Jean Sibelius to create “Be Still My Soul”: “Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain…” Her lyrics are profound to me in feeling and meaning, and it seems only natural that this hymn be joined with John Newman’s “Lead Kindly Light” in this arrangement that that speaks of having faith in God’s will, one step at a time. To me, it conveys the spirit of longing to return home and knowing that the way is through our complete reliance and submission to our God.
– Marie Osmond |
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