He leadeth me! O blessed tho’t!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me!
(Refrain)

Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me!
(Refrain)

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine,
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis Thy hand that leadeth me!
(Refrain)

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God thro’ Jordan leadeth me!
(Refrain)

Refrain:
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

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“He Leadeth Me ” is a Christian hymn written by Joseph H. Gilmore in 1880 with music composed by William Bradbury. Gilmore was a pastor in New Hampshire and wanted to create a hymn for his congregation. He was inspired by the scripture of Psalm 23 and created this renowned, popular hymn.

In 1862, as a 28-year-old student who was about to become a pastor, Joseph Henry Gilmore was invited to preach at the historic First Baptist Church of Philadelphia. “I set out to give the people an exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. I had given this exposition on three or four other occasions, but this time I did not get beyond the words ‘He leadeth me.’ So greatly impressed was I with the blessedness of divine guidance that I made this my theme.” He later felt that the dark days of the Civil War may have subconsciously led him to focus on God’s leadership.