I Need Thee Every Hour

Words by Annie S. Hawks Music by Robert Lowry

"I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord.”

A chaplain of the State prison at Concord, Massachusetts, tells how an ex-prisoner, who had never had a home in his life, prepared one, humble but tasteful, and then asked the chaplain to help him dedicate it. Together they entered the home—the man's wife had not yet come—and the service began.” Mr. B., with evident brokenness of spirit, for he was naturally a proud man and not unacquainted with larger surroundings, could not refrain from some criticism upon his poor things; but his heart was so full that his embarrassment was only temporary, and he immediately went on with a firm purpose. He started the hymn,' I need Thee every hour ' for the first number of the service."

I need Thee every hour” was first sung at a Sunday-school convention in Cincinnati, in November of 1872. Two years later I sang it for the first time at Mr. Moody's meetings in the East End of London. After that we often used it in our prayer-meetings.

The singing of this hymn at a meeting in Chicago, at the time of the World's Fair, led to the writing of the now famous song, ”Moment by Moment,” by D. W. Whittle.