--- title: I Want Jesus to Walk with Me description: I Want Jesus to Walk with Me --- [![AF-prelude-logo](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/AF-prelude-logo.png?width=181&height=52&name=AF-prelude-logo.png "AF-prelude-logo")](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org/) - [LEARN MORE](https://preludemusicplanner.org/) - [BLOG](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) - [SIGN IN](https://members.preludemusicplanner.org/) # [Prelude Music Blog](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) # I Want Jesus to Walk with Me by [Augsburg Fortress](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/augsburg-fortress) "I want Jesus to walk with me; I want Jesus to walk with me; all along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me." —Text: African American spiritual ### The text Teachers of creative writing often say that the first line sets the tone and essence of any work. This spiritual manages to capture the whole of the Christian message in the first three words: “I want Jesus.” The singers employ a repetition at the beginning and end, thereby stressing that only one thing is important, and that is to want Jesus. This spiritual is at once a song, a poem, and a prayer. The brevity in the song shows the pain of the singer and the singer’s trust in God. ### The legend One of the greatest signs of discipleship is the desire that Jesus journey with us. This spiritual may well have grown out of the Good Friday observances practiced by the early Christian missionaries or followers. In those days, the Lenten celebrations were more elaborate in some religions and the slaves might have seen reenactments of Jesus’ passion. They wanted Jesus to walk with them because they identified with him and believed that he could understand them. Another sign of discipleship is the desire to have Jesus be present with us in our pain. Note the maturity of faith: the plea is not to have Jesus take the pain away, but to have Jesus walk with them. *—Commentary from "*Sing the Faith: Spirituals," *Mark Bozzuti-Jones (Augsburg Fortress, 2002).* This popular spiritual is available for instant download in Prelude in many forms. As a reminder, hymnal versions do not carry a point value, thus freeing up your Prelude points for additional music purchases. [![Hymn](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Hymn.png?width=630&height=186&name=Hymn.png)](https://preludemusicplannerapp.azurewebsites.net/) [![ACB](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/ACB.png?width=635&height=178&name=ACB.png)](https://preludemusicplannerapp.azurewebsites.net/). [![CS](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/CS.png?width=632&height=186&name=CS.png)](https://preludemusicplannerapp.azurewebsites.net/)   Grace and peace to you and your music ministry this Lenten season.   Posted on Feb 13, 2015 1:03:44 PM Filed Under: [Assembly Song](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song), Filed Under: [Planning](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning), Filed Under: [review-prelude](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude), - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Augsburg Fortress](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/af-logo-gray.png?width=100&height=100&name=af-logo-gray.png) #### Written by [Augsburg Fortress](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/augsburg-fortress) Augsburg Fortress develops engaging resources for Lutheran congregations In our ministry as the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we create substantive and innovative materials to support the ministries of faith communities in communicating the good news of God's liberating grace. To meet the evolving needs of Lutheran communities, we continually invest in the development of new ministry resources, seeking ongoing input from theologians, educators, church leaders, and church members. ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [review-prelude (87)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude) - [Choral Techniques and Repertoire (56)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire) - [Music Ministry (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry) - [Planning (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning) - [Assembly Song (37)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song) - [Potpourri (32)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/potpourri) - [Instruments and Ensembles (19)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles) - [Hymnody (14)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody) - [music (13)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music) - [Uncategorized (10)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/uncategorized) - [COVID-19 (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19) - [Composing and arranging (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/composing-and-arranging) - [Coronavirus (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus) - [News (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/news) - [Christmas (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/christmas) - [Easter (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/easter) - [Instruments (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments) - [Social distancing (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing) - [worship (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/worship) - [Advent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/advent) - [All Creation Sings (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/all-creation-sings) - [Children Ministry (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry) - [Lent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent) - [Summer (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/summer) - [gratitude (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/gratitude) - [Creative Arts Camp (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/creative-arts-camp) - [Cultural (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/cultural) - [ELW (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/elw) - [Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/evangelical-lutheran-worship) - [Holidays (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/holidays) - [Hope (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hope) - [Hospitality (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hospitality) - [Pentecost (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/pentecost) - [Psalms (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms) - [Youth Ministry (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry) - [children (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children) - [culture (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/culture) - [devotions (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/devotions) - [john the baptist (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/john-the-baptist) - [joy (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/joy) - [leadership (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/leadership) - [marriage (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/marriage) - [race (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/race) - [relationship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/relationship) - [self-care (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/self-care) - [spiritual (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/spiritual) - [time (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/time) - [trust (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/trust) - [wedding (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/wedding) - [weddings (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/weddings) - [writing (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/writing) see all ### About Prelude Music Planner [Prelude Music Planner](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org) is the web-based tool that provides a wealth of music, thoughtful commentary, and time-saving tools for the church musician. - **Explore a wealth of music**. Search our database of congregational, choral, and instrumental church music by lectionary day, voicing, difficulty level, tune name, and more. - **Get the music you need, when you need it.** Preview the entire piece of music from beginning to end, and then download the parts you need. Subscribers will also receive a block of “points” to spend on our library of downloadable choral and instrumental pieces. - **Manage your church’s music library**. Organize your music library in one master location. Once your library information has been added, you can plan using both your physical library as well as the Prelude library with a single search. | [![Facebook](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/augsburgfortress/) | [![Twitter](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/augsburgfortres) | [![Youtube](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_youtube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtZR7BPcns-WJE_HNjkfmsw) | | --- | --- | --- | Copyright 2026 | Designed with by [Augsburg Fortress](http://www.augsburgfortress.org)