Follow On
Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the flow’rs are blooming and the sweet waters flow
Everywhere He leads me I will follow, follow on,
Walking in His footsteps till the crown be won
Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.
Down in the valley, or upon the mountain steep,
Close beside my Savior will my soul ever keep;
He will lead me safely in the path that He has trod,
Up to where they gather on the hills of God.
Refrain:
Follow! follow! I would follow Jesus!
Anywhere he leads me I would follow, follow on,
Up to where they gather
Up to where they gather
Up to where they gather on the hills of God.
Song notes:
This is the second of two hymn texts on the album. The lyrics of this one (also known as Down in the Valley with my Savior I Would Go) are by William O. Cushing. This song brings us back to where we were at with Wayfaring Stranger but this time with the confidence that whether in the valley or on the mountain, if we have Jesus leading us, we do not need to fear. The original melody is a bit more chipper than mine, which I think is fine, but I do hope the melody and harmony as I have written them bring out the complexity of the path a bit more, and yet the unshakeable and clear hope of God’s presence both along the way and where we are headed.