STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

If the LORD our leader be Jacob’s Ladder

John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book I, no. 9, under Genesis 28:12.

WRITTEN BY

John Newton 1725–1807

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 9

METRE

7.7.7.7 5 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Genesis 28:12 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 5 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

If the LORD our leader be

If the LORD our leader be,

We may follow without fear;

East or West, by land or sea,

Home, with him, is everywhere;

When from Esau Jacob fled,

Though his pillow was a stone,

And the ground his humble bed,

Yet he was not left alone.

Where Newton found it

Newton printed the hymn under Genesis 28:12. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder. GENESIS 28:12 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ GENESIS 28

Kings are often waking kept, Racked with cares on beds of state; Never king like Jacob slept. For he lay at heaven’s gate: Lo! he saw a ladder reared, Reaching to the heav’nly throne; At the top the Lord appeared, Spake and claimed him for his own. STANZA II

Its place in the book

Book I of Olney Hymns walks through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, one hymn per passage: 141 hymns. This is number 9. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 9 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN If the LORD our leader be

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