Lyrics
Verse 1
I must have the Saviour with me,
For I dare not walk alone;
I must feel His presence near me,
And His arm around me thrown.
Chorus
Then my soul shall fear no ill,
Let Him lead me where He will,
I will go without a murmur,
And His footsteps follow still.
Verse 2
I must have the Saviour with me,
For my faith, at best, is weak;
He can whisper words of comfort
That no other voice can speak.
Chorus
Then my soul shall fear no ill,
Let Him lead me where He will,
I will go without a murmur,
And His footsteps follow still.
Verse 3
I must have the Saviour with me,
In the onward march of life,
Through the tempest and the sunshine,
Through the battle and the strife.
Chorus
Then my soul shall fear no ill,
Let Him lead me where He will,
I will go without a murmur,
And His footsteps follow still.
Verse 4
I must have the Saviour with me,
And His eye the way must guide,
Till I reach the vale of Jordan,
Till I cross the rolling tide
Chorus
Then my soul shall fear no ill,
Let Him lead me where He will,
I will go without a murmur,
And His footsteps follow still.
Credits & Song Information
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“I Must Have the Saviour With Me” is a hymn of dependence, sung here by Gloria Bailey. Each verse opens with the same plea, “I must have the Saviour with me,” and then gives a reason: “I dare not walk alone,” “my faith, at best, is weak,” and the need for guidance “in the onward march of life.” The singer asks to feel His presence near and to hear comfort “that no other voice can speak.”
The chorus answers the plea with trust: “Then my soul shall fear no ill, let Him lead me where He will.” The final verse looks ahead to the “vale of Jordan” and the “rolling tide,” a traditional way of picturing the end of life, and it asks that His eye guide the way until then.
The language is close to Psalm 23:4, which speaks of fearing no evil because the Lord is present, and to Isaiah 41:10. The hymn stays simple and personal, with confidence resting on companionship rather than on the singer’s own strength.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 23:4 “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”
- Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee”
- Psalm 73:23-24 Being held and guided by God’s counsel