Nearer Thee

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Nearer Thee and ever nearer

Author: F. E. Belden
Tune: NEARER THEE
Published in 4 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Nearer thee and ever nearer,
O thou constant, mighty Friend!
Thou to me art more and dearer
Than all joys that earth can lend.

Chorus:
Nearer thee, nearer thee,
Closer, closer to thy side;
In thy keeping safe are we;
With us evermore abide.

2 Thou canst save us and deliver
When the evil hosts assail;
Thou of mercies art the giver,
Thro' thy promise we prevail. [Chorus]

3 We accept of thy salvation,
And like thee would perfect be;
Oh, deliver from temptation,
Draw us nearer, nearer thee. [Chorus]

Source: The Seventh-Day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book: for use in divine worship #1231

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Author: F. E. Belden

Belden was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1858. He began writing music in his late teenage years after moving to California with his family. For health reasons he later moved to Colorado. He returned to Battle Creek with his wife in the early 1880s, and there he became involved in Adventist Church publishing. F. E. Belden wrote many hymn tunes, gospel songs, and related texts in the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Belden was able to rapidly write both music and poetry together which enabled him to write a song to fit a sermon while it was still being delivered. He also wrote songs for evangelist Billy Sunday. Though Belden’s later years were marred by misunderstandings with the church leadership over his royal… Go to person page >

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