Song Saturday - Led to Higher Ground

 I said yesterday that I have endeavored to read several short devotionals this year. Many of them are written by Puritan or Reformed giants of the faith. As I have begun to read them I have discovered something amazing. Most of them quote great lyrics of old hymns. I have found myself the last two mornings searching the internet for the full lyrics of two songs to print and tape in my January journal. 

The one from yesterday was He Leads Us On written in 1865. I actually had a hard time finding a recording of this song to listen to. I found one on Apple Music that had the same lyrics but not the original tune. 

He leads us on by paths we did not know;

Upward He leads us, tho’ our steps be slow;

Tho’ oft we faint and falter on the way,

Tho’ storms and darkness oft obscure the day,

Yet when the clouds are gone,

We know He leads us on.

He leads us on thro’ all th’unquiet years;

Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts, and fears

He guides our steps; thro’ all the tangled maze

Of losses, sorrows, and o’erclouded days

We know His will is done,

And still He leads us on.

And He, at last—after the weary strife,

After the restless fever we call life,

After the dreariness, the aching pain,

The wayward struggles which have proved in vain,

After our toils are past—

Will give us rest at last.

This morning I was directed to a song that I remember singing in church as a young girl. I could only find an instrumental version that I liked and I was listening when Carl asked me what song it was. He recognized it to and sang it as a boy. It was I'm Pressing On the Upward Way or Higher Ground.

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Refrain:

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,

By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,

A higher plane than I have found;

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay

Where doubts arise and fears dismay;

Though some may dwell where those abound,

My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,

Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;

For faith has caught the joyful sound,

The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

I have been humming these songs all morning long. 

I don't think it is any coincidence that this morning in my scripture writing I wrote Psalm 7:17.

I leave you with a quote by Charles Spurgeon.

"Wake up, believers, from your lowly condition! Throw away your laziness, sluggishness, coldness, or whatever is interfering with your pure love for Christ. Make Him the Source, the Center, and the One who encompasses every delight of your soul. Refuse to be satisfied any longer with your meager accomplishments. Aspire to a HIGHER, a nobler, and a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!"