Hymn History

  • By Shelly Webb
  • August 21, 2010
  • 668
                        
Hymn History Precious Promise Precious promise God has given To the weary passerby, On the way from earth to Heaven, “I will guide thee with Mine eye.” I will guide thee, I will guide thee, I will guide thee with Mine eye On the way from earth to Heaven, I will guide thee with Mine eye. When temptations almost win thee And thy trusted watchers fly, Let this promise ring within thee, “I will guide thee with Mine eye.” When thy secret hopes have perished In the grave of years gone by, Let this promise still be cherished, “I will guide thee with Mine eye.” When the shades of life are falling And the hour has come to die, Hear thy trusty Pilot calling, “I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Nathaniel Niles (unknown) Little is known about the author of this hymn, Nathaniel Niles except that he was a New York City lawyer that commuted by train from Morristown, New Jersey every day to work. The story goes that he purchased a newspaper one day to read on the train, however he could not get Psalm 32:8 out of his mind. No one is sure if he had just read the verse that day or perhaps his pastor had recently preached on the text, but whatever the reason, the simple verse, “I will guide thee with mine eyes” prompted Niles to write this hymn. He completed the entire song while on the train and wrote it inside his newspaper on the margin. Phillip Bliss, a talented musician, writer and pastor later wrote the music for this song.


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