Nearer, My God to Thee

Designed for smaller choirs in mind, this arrangement of “Nearer, My God to Thee” by Garrett Breeze is simple yet engaging.  The variety in the accompaniment parts (including an optional organ part) does a fabulous job of bringing out the text in each of the five verses.  Designed to be learned quickly, the arrangement uses primarily unison and hymnbook style writing.

Difficulty: Easy

Voicing: SATB

Accompaniment: Piano (includes optional Organ part)

Lyrics:

Nearer, my God to Thee, Nearer to Thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me. Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, darkness be over me, my rest a stone. Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heav’n; all that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n. Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Then with my waking thought bright with Thy praise, out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise; so by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee.

Or if on joyful wing cleaving the sky, sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly, still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! To Thee!