The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
Guide Us O Thou Great Jehovah
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guide us to the promised land.
We are weak, but thou art able;
Hold us with thy pow'rful hand.
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
Feed us till the Savior comes,
Feed us till the Savior comes
Let her richest blessings come.
Guard us to this holy home.
Great Redeemer, Great Redeemer,
Bring, oh, bring the welcome day,
Bring, oh, bring the welcome day!
Bid our fearful thoughts be still;
When thy judgments spread destruction,
Keep us safe on Zion's hill,
Singing praises, Singing praises,
Songs of glory unto thee,
Songs of glory unto thee.
The lyrics of "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah" by Mormon Tabernacle Choir starts with a plea to God to guide them towards the promised land. The choir acknowledges their weakness and asks God to hold them with his powerful hand. They then call out for the Holy Spirit to feed them until the savior comes. The choir goes on to sing to “Let her richest blessings come”. The third verse of the hymn features the fiery and cloudy pillar which the choir asks to guard them to this holy home. In the final verse, the choir calls upon God to bid their fearful thoughts to be still and keep them safe from destruction. The song ends with the choir singing glory to God.
The hymn is about seeking guidance in life's journey. It is a prayer to God and a request to guide them on their path to salvation. The lyrics liken the need for guidance from God to the journey of the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness to the Promised Land. It is a powerful hymn that emphasizes the need for faith and reliance on God's power.
Line by Line Meaning
Guide us, O thou great Jehovah,
We ask for your guidance, O almighty God,
Guide us to the promised land.
Lead us to the place where we can fulfill our destiny and purpose,
We are weak, but thou art able;
We acknowledge our limitations, but we trust in your strength and power,
Hold us with thy pow'rful hand.
Please provide us with assurance and security by holding onto us tightly,
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
We call upon the divine presence of the Holy Spirit,
Feed us till the Savior comes,
Nurture and sustain us until the return of our Lord and Savior,
Let her richest blessings come.
May God's greatest blessings be bestowed upon us,
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
As the Israelites were guided by the fiery, cloudy pillar in the desert,
Guard us to this holy home.
Please protect us as we seek to reach our ultimate destination of everlasting life,
Great Redeemer, Great Redeemer,
We beseech the great Redeemer for his salvation and redemption,
Bring, oh, bring the welcome day,
Grant us the hope and anticipation of the day of redemption and ultimate happiness.
Bid our fearful thoughts be still;
Please calm our anxious and fearful thoughts and give us a sense of peace,
When thy judgments spread destruction,
Even in times of trial and adversity, when God's judgments are manifest,
Keep us safe on Zion's hill,
Please shelter us from harm and danger even in the face of adversity,
Singing praises, Singing praises,
In all times, we continue to offer our praises and thanksgiving to God,
Songs of glory unto thee,
And we acknowledge God's sovereignty and majesty as we sing songs of glory to Him.
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lesliepolk2039
Although I am not a Christian , I am awestruck by the sheer beauty of this music. I can't think of a better way to start my day than to listen to this music.
@DamnDemi
That's interesting, & you're right. It's absolutely beautiful.
@miguelchavez8347
God bless you and keep you safe. Amen.
@patsym3679
The lord loves you dearly and calling you to embrace him ...
@georgefelty6357
This is music sent from heaven and these angelic voices are just a preview of what we can expect in heaven!
@olusesanfesobi5219
This is surely a foretaste of the Heavenly Bliss promised us by our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.
@sambosco5119
This is the music l heard and turned my way to Jesus Christ and became a member.
@yjnyjn3853
Absolutely brilliant. Thank you for loving the one and only Almighty God JEHOVAH.
@phantomsshadow7324
I hear angels! What a beautiful rendition!
@ArmoredLion217
I love this setting! It’s great to see another take on this great tune. I love all three versions that I’ve heard the choir sing! Each one quite special!