"I sing God's music because it makes me feel free," Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, "It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues."
Jackson grew up in the "Black Pearl" section of the Carrollton neighbourhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, and began singing in a Baptist church. In 1927 she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she sang with The Johnson Brothers, one of the earliest professional gospel groups.
The Johnson Brothers broke up in the mid-1930s, and Jackson began her solo career, recording for Decca in 1937. The result, "God's Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares", was only a moderate success, but Jackson became a popular concert draw. She didn't record again untill 1946, when she signed with Apollo Records, releasing several singles that are now highly regarded, though sales were sluggish at the time. "Move On up a Little Higher" (1948) became a huge success, however, and stores could not stock enough of it to meet demand. Jackson rocketed to fame in the U.S. and soon afterwards in Europe. "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus" won a prize from the French Academy, and "Silent Night" was one of the best-selling singles in the history of Norway. She began a radio series on CBS and signed to Columbia Records in 1954. With her mainstream success came an inevitable backlash from gospel purists who felt she had watered down her sound for popular accessibility.
Jackson's career in the late 1950s and early 1960s continued to rise when she recorded with Percy Faith, and performed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. She also sang at the funeral of her friend Martin Luther King, Jr. The late 1960s saw a downturn in her popular success. She ended her career with a concert in Germany in 1971; when she returned, she made one of her final television appearances on The Flip Wilson Show.
Jackson died in Chicago on 27th January 1972 of heart failure and diabetes at the age of sixty. She was buried in Providence Memorial Park in Metairie, Louisiana. She was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1978.
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Mahalia Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thou Lamb of Calvary
Savior divine
Now hear me while I pray
Take all my guilt away
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine
Strength to my fainting heart
My zeal inspire
As thou hast died for me
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire
While life's dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread
Be thou my guide
Bid darkness turn to day
Wipe sorrow's tears away
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside
When ends life's transient dream
When death's cold, sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll
Blessed Savior, then in love
Fear and distrust remove
O bear me safe above
A ransomed soul
Mahalia Jackson's "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" is a hymn that is a prayer dedicated to God, seeking His divine guidance, mercy, and grace. In the first verse, the singer, a follower of God, declares that his or her faith is focused on the "Lamb of Calvary," referring to Jesus Christ who was sacrificed on the cross. In the second verse, the singer expresses his or her desire to receive the strength and inspiration to remain committed to God's will. The third verse presents a picture of life's struggles, where the singer experiences dark and uncertain days. Despite this, he or she trusts in God to be a constant guide and source of comfort. The final verse speaks of the inevitability of death, and the hope for eternal life with God as a "ransomed soul."
This hymn's message is meant to provide comfort, to emphasize the importance of faith, and most importantly, the need for divine guidance in one's life. Throughout the song, the focus is on the importance of a personal relationship with God and seeking his grace, mercy, and love.
The hymn "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" has been a beloved hymn for many years and has been performed by various artists. Although the original author of the hymn is not known, it was originally published in 1832 under the title " Olivet," named for the hymn's tune by Lowell Mason. Additionally, it has been recorded by various singers over the years, including Mahalia Jackson, who was a famous gospel singer, and it has been used in numerous religious services and ceremonies.
Line by Line Meaning
My faith looks up to thee
I am looking up to you, my God, for spiritual guidance and strength
Thou Lamb of Calvary
You are the one who sacrificed Himself for me, acting as a sinless lamb to cleanse my soul
Savior divine
You, my God, are the divine being who saves and protects me from harm
Now hear me while I pray
Please pay attention to and accept my prayer, O God
Take all my guilt away
Lord, please help me get rid of the sins and guilt I am carrying
O let me from this day
Starting from this moment on, let me be
Be wholly thine
Completely devoted to you, my Lord
May thy rich grace impart
Please fill me with your abundant and overflowing grace and love
Strength to my fainting heart
Please provide me with strength to overcome hardships and failures
My zeal inspire
Please motivate my heart and spirit to be passionate and enthusiastic about my faith in you
As thou hast died for me
Just as you sacrificed yourself for me, O Lord
O may my love to thee
I pray that my love towards you
Pure, warm, and changeless be
is always genuine, affectionate, and unwavering.
A living fire
Let it be a life-long fuel that keeps burning strongly in my heart and soul.
While life's dark maze I tread
As I traverse through the complicated journey of life, filled with various twists and turns
And griefs around me spread
As I am surrounded by sadness, pain, and sorrow
Be thou my guide
Please be my guiding light and show me the way
Bid darkness turn to day
Please eliminate the darkness in my life and turn it into light
Wipe sorrow's tears away
Help me overcome my grief and sadness, wiping away my tears
Nor let me ever stray
Please do not let me get lost or deviate from the righteous path
From thee aside
Away from you, my God.
When ends life's transient dream
As my temporary, fleeting existence comes to an end
When death's cold, sullen stream
As I cross the icy and gloomy river of death
Shall o'er me roll
As death engulfs me
Blessed Savior, then in love
My blessed savior, in that last moment of my life
Fear and distrust remove
Please remove any fear or doubt in my heart and mind
O bear me safe above
Safely carry me to the other side, into the kingdom of heaven
A ransomed soul
As a soul that has been bought and redeemed by your grace
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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