Jesus, Lead Us With Thy Power

Author: William Williams

William Williams, called the "Watts of Wales," was born in 1717, at Cefn-y-coed, near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. He originally studied medicine, but abandoned it for theology. He was ordained Deacon in the Church of England, but was refused Priest's Orders, and subsequently attached himself to the Calvinistic Methodists. For half a century he travelled in Wales, preaching the Gospel. He died in 1791. Williams composed his hymns chiefly in the Welsh language; they are still largely used by various religious bodies in the principality. Many of his hymns have appeared in English, and have been collected and published by Sedgwick. His two principal poetical works are "Hosannah to the Son of David," and "Gloria in Excelsis." --Annotati… Go to person page >

Jesus, lead us with Thy power. W. Williams. [In Temptation—Security in Jesus.] Published in his Gloria in Excelsis; or Hymns of Praise, &c, 1772, No. 35, in 3 stanzas of 8 lines In modern hymn-books it is usually given as "Jesus, lead me by Thy power." Original text in Lord Selborne's Book of Praise, 1862.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)