What are the lyrics to ‘Guide me, o thou great redeemer’ (‘Bread of Heaven’)?

By BBC Music Magazine

Published: Monday, 13 June 2022 at 12:00 am

When was ‘Guide me, o thou great redeemer’ written and composed?

Famous Welsh hymn writer William Williams wrote the Welsh hymn ‘Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch’ (Lord, lead me through the wilderness),  in around 1762. Less than 10 years later it was translated into English by Peter Williams and became known as ‘Guide me, o thou great redeemer’. It is set to the tune Cwm Rhondda, written by John Hughes  in 1905.

The hymn is often known as ‘Bread of heaven’ because the line is repeated in the English version. The tune is also known Wales’s second national anthem (behind ‘Land of My Fathers‘) and is often performed at national events.

The hymn was also sung at both Diana Princess of Wales’s funeral and the Queen Mother’s funeral, as well as the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Did you know William Williams also wrote the hymn ‘Gloria in Excelsis’?

We named ‘Guide me, o thou great redeemer’ one of the best hymns of all time. and it is also a popular rugby song for Welsh fans and is considered the country’s second national anthem

What are the English lyrics to ‘Guide me, o thou great redeemer’ (‘Bread of Heaven’)?

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.

Open thou the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream shall flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer
Be thou still my strength and shield.
Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
I will ever give to thee.

What are the original Welsh lyrics to ‘Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch’?

Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch,
Fi, bererin gwael ei wedd,
Nad oes ynof nerth na bywyd
Fel yn gorwedd yn y bedd:
Hollalluog, Hollalluog,
Ydyw’r Un a’m cwyd i’r lan.
Ydyw’r Un a’m cwyd i’r lan

Agor y ffynhonnau melus
‘N tarddu i maes o’r Graig y sydd;
Colofn dân rho’r nos i’m harwain,
A rho golofn niwl y dydd;
Rho i mi fanna, Rho i mi fanna,
Fel na bwyf yn llwfwrhau.
Fel na bwyf yn llwfwrhau.

Pan yn troedio glan Iorddonen,
Par i’m hofnau suddo i gyd;
Dwg fi drwy y tonnau geirwon
Draw i Ganaan – gartref clyd:
Mawl diderfyn. Mawl diderfyn
Fydd i’th enw byth am hyn.
Fydd i’th enw byth am hyn.