Go Where I Send Thee
The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet Lyrics
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How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one by one.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee two by two.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee three by three.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee four by four.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee five by five.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee six by six.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee seven by seven.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eight by eight.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee nine by nine.
Nine for the miles we ride our bikes.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee ten by ten.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Nine for the miles we ride our bikes.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eleven by eleven.
Eleven for the eleven deriders.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Nine for the miles we ride our bikes.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Children go where I send thee.
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee twelve by twelve.
Twelve for the twelve apostles.
Eleven for the eleven deriders.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Nine for the miles we ride our bikes.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
One for the little bitty baby.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet's song "Go Where I Send Thee" is a spiritual song that praises the Lord for his miracles and great works. The song makes use of a call-and-response technique, with the leader singing a verse and the other members responding with the refrain "Children go where I send thee. How shall I send thee?" The lyrics recount the biblical stories of the little bitty baby born in Bethlehem and the works of Alma and Amulek, among other figures.
The song is structured in a creative manner, with each verse adding a new set of numbers and individuals or concepts corresponding to each number. For example, the first verse sends one person for the little bitty baby born in Bethlehem, the second verse sends two people for Alma and Amulek, the third verse sends three people for the tree in Lehi's dream, and so on. As the song continues, the numbers and corresponding individuals or concepts increase until the final verse sends twelve people representing the twelve apostles.
The song's use of numbers and repetition, as well as its inclusion of biblical figures and stories, serve as a powerful reminder of God's greatness and the importance of faith. It is a joyous and celebratory song that encourages listeners to follow in the footsteps of those who have come before them and to trust in the Lord's guidance and providence.
Line by Line Meaning
Children go where I send thee.
I am instructing you to go where I tell you.
How shall I send thee?
In what way should I send you?
I'm gonna send thee one by one.
I will send you individually.
One for the little bitty baby.
One for the newborn child.
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.
Who was born in Bethlehem.
I'm gonna send thee two by two.
I will send you in pairs of two.
Two for Alma and Amulek.
Two for the individuals named Alma and Amulek.
I'm gonna send thee three by three.
I will send you in groups of three.
Three for the tree in Lehi's dream.
Three for the tree referenced in Lehi's dream.
I'm gonna send thee four by four.
I will send you in groups of four.
Four for the Lord that stands at the door.
Four for the Lord who stands at the entryway.
I'm gonna send thee five by five.
I will send you in groups of five.
Five for Alma who came back alive.
Five for Alma who emerged alive.
I'm gonna send thee six by six.
I will send you in groups of six.
Six for the books that we call sticks.
Six for the books we refer to as sticks.
I'm gonna send thee seven by seven.
I will send you in groups of seven.
Seven for the prayers we send up to Heaven.
Seven for the prayers we offer to Heaven.
I'm gonna send thee eight by eight.
I will send you in groups of eight.
Eight for the girl who just wouldn't wait.
Eight for the girl who refused to wait.
I'm gonna send thee nine by nine.
I will send you in groups of nine.
Nine for the miles we ride our bikes.
Nine for the distance we travel on bicycles.
I'm gonna send thee ten by ten.
I will send you in groups of ten.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
I'm gonna send thee eleven by eleven.
I will send you in groups of eleven.
Eleven for the eleven deriders.
Eleven for the eleven who oppose.
I'm gonna send thee twelve by twelve.
I will send you in groups of twelve.
Twelve for the twelve apostles.
Twelve for the twelve apostles.
Writer(s): Traditional, Teena Ree Gowdy
Contributed by Joseph Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.