8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The Saviour is waiting to enter your heart,
Why don’t you let Him come in?
There’s nothing in this world to keep you apart,
What is your answer to Him?
Time after time He has waited before,
And now He is waiting again
To see if you’re willing to open the door:
O how He wants to come in.
If you’ll take one step toward the Saviour, my friend,
You’ll find His arms open wide;
Receive Him, and all of your darkness will end,
Within your heart He’ll abide.
Time after time He has waited before,
And now He is waiting again
To see if you’re willing to open the door:
O how He wants to come in.
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
The words and music of this song written by two former General’s of The Salvation Army mean so much to me that I find myself somehow returning to it quite a lot. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a simple tune with such true and earnest words to it
Guardian of My Soul is Darren Shaw’s 2012 Salvation Army band arrangement built around two songs that share the phrase “Guardian of my soul” — his own worship song I Worship You and the classic hymn O Jesus, I Have Promised (tune: Aurelia). The “story behind” it is the devotional journey Shaw wanted to express: following Christ to the cross, finding grace, and resting in His protection.
Below is a clear, structured account drawn directly from grounded sources.
⭐ Core Story Behind Guardian of My Soul
The arrangement is essentially a musical meditation on discipleship and Christ’s guidance. Darren Shaw wrote new lyrics — I Worship You — expressing:
Christ as God’s only Son who leads believers to the cross
The believer’s healing and identity found in Christ
The assurance that Christ knows our name and our destination
Shaw then wove these new words and melody together with the older hymn O Jesus, I Have Promised, whose final verse contains the line “Thou Guardian of my soul.”
This pairing creates a dialogue across generations:
The Victorian hymn expressing lifelong commitment to Christ
The modern worship song expressing personal devotion and surrender
The arrangement’s purpose is to show that the same Christ who guided past generations continues to guard and lead believers today.
🎼 How the Music Tells the Story
The Salvation Army Music Index explains how Shaw structures the piece:
It begins tranquilly, inviting reflection.
Section A introduces Shaw’s own melody I Worship You.
Section B gently expands the texture with cornets and flugel.
Section C adds urgency with semiquaver movement, symbolising the believer’s journey toward Calvary.
A key change leads into the hymn tune Aurelia, representing the older promise: “Thou Guardian of my soul.”
The final section returns to I Worship You, now enriched by the earlier hymn’s assurance — ending in a calm, prayerful statement.
✍️ The Texts Behind the Music
1. Darren Shaw’s lyrics (1995/2005)
Themes include:
Christ’s sacrifice
Healing through His wounds
Following Him to Calvary
Knowing one’s identity and destiny in Christ
2. John Ernest Bode’s hymn (1866)
The verse containing “Guardian of my soul” emphasises:
Hearing Christ’s voice
Guidance through life’s storms
Commitment to serve Him to the end
Shaw intentionally connects these two texts to show continuity of faith across time.
🎵 Why the Arrangement Resonates
Grounded sources highlight several reasons for its popularity:
Simplicity and clarity make it accessible for many bands.
Deep devotional content speaks to listeners and performers.
The International Staff Band’s performances helped establish it as a modern classic.
It is often used in thanksgiving services, reflective worship, and moments of commitment, because its narrative — Christ guiding the believer from life to Calvary and into assurance — is emotionally powerful.
James Montgomery (1771–1854) wrote a huge number of hymns, many of which remain central in Methodist, Moravian, Anglican, and Salvation Army traditions. Here is a clear, structured list of his most widely‑used hymns today, drawn from authoritative hymn indexes and collections.
⭐ Most Well‑Known Hymns by James Montgomery
These are the hymns you will most often find in modern hymnals and worship settings:
Angels from the Realms of Glory
Go to Dark Gethsemane
Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
Stand Up and Bless the Lord
A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief (beloved in LDS tradition)
In the Hour of Trial
O Spirit of the Living God
Forever with the Lord
Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless
📜 Additional Hymns by Montgomery (frequently included in hymnals)
These appear across many collections and reflect his strong devotional and missionary emphasis:
According to Thy Gracious Word
All Hail to God’s Anointed
Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread
Call Jehovah Thy Salvation
Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain
Daughter of Zion, From the Dust
Friend After Friend Departs
Gethsemane Can I Forget?
God Is My Strong Salvation
Heralds of Creation, Cry
Lord, Teach Us How to Pray Aright
O Bless the Lord, My Soul
O Where Shall Rest Be Found?
People of the Living God
Searcher of Hearts, to Thee Are Known
Sing We the Song of Those Who Stand
Songs of Praise the Angels Sang
Sow in the Morn Thy Seed
Spirit, Leave Thy House of Clay
Lord, Pour Thy Spirit From on High
📚 Montgomery’s Hymns in Classical Collections
The Christian Classics Ethereal Library preserves a large set of his original hymns, including:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
In the Beginning, God Said “Be”
Praise the High, the Holy One
The God of Nature and of Grace
The Lord Is My Shepherd
The Christian Warrior
Return, My Soul, Unto Thy Rest
O God, Unseen but Not Unknown
Bright and Joyful Is the Morn
Come Ye That Fear the Lord
Lord, Thou Hast Been Thy People’s Rest
Go Where a Foot Hath Never Trod
Spring Up, O Well
Ask, and Ye Shall Receive
These collections show how prolific he was—over 350 hymn texts appear in various indexes.
🕊️ Why Montgomery’s Hymns Endure
Strong biblical imagery
Deep devotional tone
Emphasis on prayer, mission, and Christ’s passion
Clear, singable English
Use across Moravian, Methodist, Anglican, and Salvation Army traditions
