Lead Me to That Rock

The Gaither Vocal Band sing “Lead Me to That Rock,” a spiritual built on a cry from the psalms. The chorus asks, “Why don't you lead me to that Rock that is higher than I,” and the refrain answers with thanks, “Thou hast been a shelter for me.” The rock stands for a place of safety that the singer cannot reach alone and must be led to.

The verses read like directions for finding Jesus. “If you go down in yonder fold and search among the sheep, you'll find Him there, so I am told, with those He loves to keep.” The second verse sends the searcher further out: “If you'll go into the wilderness where dying ones are lost, you'll find Him there to heal and bless, no matter what the cost.” The style is a call-and-response, with the lead voice calling and the group returning with “Oh lead me, yes Lord, lead me.” The language is plain, and the picture is of a shepherd who goes to both the flock and the lost.

The prayer for a higher rock is Psalm 61:2. Shepherding and rest are in Psalm 23:2, and healing the brokenhearted is Psalm 147:3.