One word means much - but hey that's our God! Day 6

Just one Hebrew word- Nahal*

He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:2

Joseph Henry Gilmore was born into a wealthy family. His father Joseph Albree Gilmore had a grocery business, was an American railroad superintendent and served as the governor of New Hampshire from 1863 to 1865.

Joseph, the son, was also an accomplished man. He attended the prestigious Phillips-Andover Academy,** one of the best schools in the country. Later he received both his BA and MA from Brown. After that studied at Newton Theological Institution. First he served as a Baptist Pastor. Later he was the private secretary for his father who was serving as governor. He also worked as the editor of the Daily Monitor in Concord, NH. After all of this, he served one year as professor of Hebrew at Rochester Theological Seminary and then for forty years he served as the professor of rhetoric, logic and English at the University of Rochester.  The University’s English Department has an English Chair named in his honor.

Joseph is well-remembered for his work at Rochester but people all over the world sing a hymn that he hurriedly wrote when he was 28. He is a giant in the educational and literary circles but his hymn is well received and sung by millions and millions and is hymn of great comfort. Joseph wrote six books in Hebrew and English but it is his single hymn that brought him fame.

It was never Joseph’s intention to write a hymn. One day he preached on Psalm 23 and then he scribbled some lines on the blessedness of God’s leading because of the turmoil of the US civil war. Later he gave the writings to his wife. Without telling her husband, Mrs. Gilmore sent the writings to a magazine. Three years later when Joseph went to guest preach in a church he was surprised to see his hurried writings in a hymnal.

Another instance of God taking something simple and blessing it to be great!

Here it is -        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXeCQgOlx4Q

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neplpB2ZScU

Thank you God for holding my hand and leading me all the time in all turmoil, trials and tribulations. Amen.

* Nahal (Hebrew) usage – to lead, give rest, lead with care, guide to a watering place, cause to rest, bring to a place of rest, guide, refresh (ALL THAT GOD DOES FOR US)

** List of some alumni (note the names Bush and Kennedy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Phillips_Academy_alumni