Lead Kindly Light

Graeme Skinner photography

Lead, Kindly Light,
amid the encircling gloom,
Lead me Thou 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 is enough for me.

I was not ever thus,
nor pray'd that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path,
but now lead Thou me on!

I loved the garish day,
and, spite of fears,
pride ruled my will:
remember not past years.

So long Your power hath blest me,
sure it still 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.

John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

______

At about this time last year, I performed the Howard Goodall setting of this piece. We'd just come through Hurricane Sandy. Today was one of those days where a million things had to get done, and some how by the grace of God, they all got done. One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.