Comments on: Bleg: “He Touched Me” in hymnals

By: Helen Myers

Helen Myers — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:43:09 +0000

I am lookng for the song book “GREAT GOSPEL SONGS AND HYMNS” published in 1976 by Stamps-Baxter Music of the Zondervan Corporation.

By: William W. Smith

William W. Smith — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:35:34 +0000

“He Touched Me” is found in the “Hymns for the Family of God” copyright 1976 by Pragon Associates, Inc. Many Methodist use this hymnal. However, because of the vagueness of the text, “He Touched Me” is left out of most mainline older denominational hymnals. I remember hymnology teachers in college and seminary discussing the song in a negative light. However, it is in the new 2008 Baptist Hymnal and has been showing up on santuary walls for many years now.

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:42:46 +0000

I checked a really old Methodist Hymnal (apparently before the UM split and possibly older than before Gaither was in music, and a newer hymnal (prior to the 1989 version) and never found any. I didn’t get the date out of the one because the first few pages of the loose leaf version are missing and I never made it downstairs for one of the regular hymnals like it.

I can get the info from the Family Of God hymnal if you need me to. I never checked the songs of inspiration books yet. They are my personal books and are in a filing cabinet. I do remember them having songs by Duane Allen and other writers of the sixties and early seventies and they would have been “contemporary” back then and contemporaries of Bill.

By: BUICK

BUICK — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:46:01 +0000

I don’t know if this gets the ball any further down the field but:
THE NEW CHURCH HYMNAL (Lexicon Music copyright 1976) has at least 4 BG songs:
1) Let’s Just Praise The Lord (pg. 292)
2) The Family of God (pg. 246)
3) Because He Lives (pg. 122)
4) Something Beautiful (pg. 526)
PRAISE! OUR SONGS AND HYMNS (Singspiration Music copyright 1979) has 7 and that is the earliest hymnal I’ve located that includes “He Touched Me” (copyright 1963).

Working on this has reminded me of a pet-peeve of mine. Why would ANY publisher put out a hymnal without an author-index? It can’t be that big a deal to compile it, it would only occupy a few pages and it is SUCH a tremendous tool. I especially appreciate those that include the full name of the author or composer, date of birth and date of death (where appropriate).

And by the way, why don’t most hymnal have ANY dynamic markings in the hymns? The instrumentalists come in on the downbeat and play it the same speed, the same volume and the same expression from the first measure to the last. But it is hard to fault them when the publishers save ink and effort by omitting all dynamics from the musical notation. So, having vented, I ask again: WHY?

By: cdguy

cdguy — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:23:18 +0000

I can’t swear to it, but I think the 1972 “Worship In Song” from Lillenas (Nazarene Publishing House) may have included both “He Touched Me” and “Because He Lives”. I think I have a copy at the house — I’ll have to check.

By: Cliff Cerce

Cliff Cerce — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:58:03 +0000

Neil privately emailed me that bowling balls roll.My wife, Anita, had me reply to him to get his mind out of the gutter.

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:30:43 +0000

I have the 89 UM hymnal at church, but also two previous editions. I’ll try to remember to look. Also, I wonder if any showed up in the Songs of Inspiration line. I’ll try to check those out too.

By: Cliff Cerce

Cliff Cerce — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:17:42 +0000

Fascinating, Neil. (That’s why I let you hang around with me)

Verse 2 of “He Touched Me” is less vague, I think - and more personal, in a sense.

“Since I met this Blessed Savior,
Since He cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to praise Him,
I’ll shout it while eternity rolls.”

By the way, what else rolls besides eternity, ages, burdens and glory? (Oh, the glory did roll…)

By: Dean Adkins

Dean Adkins — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:16:16 +0000

Earliest I have it (He Touched Me) in Great Gospel Songs and Hymns 1976. Compiled by Bill Gaither, Clyde Williams, Ezra Knight, Videt Polk, Jack Taylor & P.J. Zondervan. Stamps-Baxter Music of Zondervan Corp.

Also in Praise! Our Songs and Hymns compiled by John W. Peterson & Norman Johnson. 1979. Singspiration, division of Zondervan Corp.

By: TL

TL — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:12:06 +0000

What about the Mercy Mark members cranking back up with the absence of Garry Jones. Have you heard about that? Oh, Chris West back on bass and his brother Craig doing lead/baritone. (The absolute most awesome voice you’ll ever hear.)

By: here

here — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:59:28 +0000

My mother was the church pianist when I was growing up. She maintained that the music director we had when I was little (so, late 70’s) always turned down requests for “He Touched Me” when he was singing for weddings.

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:32:39 +0000

The Celebration Hymnal used by the church I attend was published in the 1990s. There’s no way it was the first to include “He Touched Me.”

By: GospelMusicFan

GospelMusicFan — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:58:25 +0000

Great post by Neil .
Yes, it fits every doctrinal standards set forth in a personal relationship with Jesus.
To all, He touched me when I accepted Him as my Savour.
Anything beyond salvation, there are many ways person can be touched.
recognition of the fact that He can touch you.
Restoration in many shapes and forms.
Maybe a second work of grace.
Healing touch just to take the edge off of severe pain.
Maybe seeing a healing in a healing service.
Maybe a testimony.
Just singing the song during a Sunday Morning Worship Service.
Sometime during the week when you least expect it.
To others, the tools set forth in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
What bonds us together is a personal relationship with Jesus.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:27:20 +0000

Well, well…I can only hope that if he isn’t in the habit of reading this blog, someone will tell Mr. Bill about Neil’s post. (And hey to you, my dear friend!) What a fascinating review of “He Touched Me” by one of the great songwriters of our generation! As you always do, Neil, you gave us thoughts that we would might never have considered by ourselves. We may not be any closer to solving Doug’s dilemma, but even Doug the writer will like your post, I’d bet. I’m so glad that you jumped in here, and now keep it up! Taking nothing from “Statue of Liberty” and many other of your songs, but the other day I heard “Lost, Searching, Found”, and it hit me that it’s about a perfect song. Unlike your observations on the “vagueness” of “He Touched Me”, you penned a complete and personal story of testimony in that. This blog often reinforces this, but the writers are the sung, yet unsung heroes of our music.
Thanks again for a great posting, Neil.

By: RF

RF — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:00:14 +0000

I can remember the Methodist Hymnal in our church about 1970 having Gaither songs in it (I don’t have one handy at the moment) and it was a little older than “Hymns for the Famly of God” which our church purchased in 1978.

My guess is the Methodists first featured Gaither hymns and I’ll guess “He Touched Me.”

Wish I had the Methoidst Hymnal at home now :-).