Close to thee

“Close to thee.”  That phrase came to mind one recent afternoon when I noticed two trees growing unusually close together.  A small tree--an offspring of the bigger one?--was snugged right next to the bigger tree. Why, I'll never know, but the sight reminded me of the hymn that begins:

Thou my everlasting portion,

More than friend or life to me;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Close to thee, close to Thee,
Close to thee, close to thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.

If hymns are part of your spiritual music fabric, you may recognize the lyrics as coming from the mind of blind Fanny Crosby (1820-1915). She’s generally credited with more than 800 hymn lyrics, many still well-known.

In this case, the music came before the words.  A Long Island, New York, man, a hat-maker by trade, was also a musician who composed Gospel music. When he came up with this tune, he invited Crosby to listen as he played it on the piano. Afterwards, she remarked, “That refrain said ‘Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to thee, close to Thee.” Then, with her remarkable memory and command of rhyme, she composed and dictated the hymn’s three verses, all of which have that refrain.

We’re apt to forget how much of a life story is reflected in a hymn or Gospel song. This song refers to a pilgrim journey, toil and suffering, and finally the “gate of life eternal.”  Fanny Crosby spoke from the heart of a pilgrim who knew hardship, blinded in childhood as a result of a doctor’s error.  One time a minister told her it was too bad God allowed her to be blind.  She quickly responded, “If I had been given a choice at birth, I would have asked to be blind...for when I get to heaven, the first face I will see will be the One who died for me.” 

 

From what I've read, Fanny Crosby lived "snugged up" to God. No wonder the words came to her so easily: "Close to thee."