Every Hour

There is an old hymn that has become popular again, as so many fortunately do. My favorite version is by Matt Maher, although the Fernando Ortega version is beautiful and uses the original lyrics

The thing I love about this hymn is that, much to my surprise, it wasn't written out of sorrow or pain but out of love and joy (see below for the story). I love the reminder that we need the Lord even when things are going well and we're full of Joy. How quickly we turn to Him in times of trouble and just as quickly forget to turn to Him when things are good (and by we I mean ME).

Original: I Need Thee Every Hour:        And the Matt Maher, Lord I Need You lyrics:


  I need Thee ev'ry hour,                            Lord, I come, I confess
  Most gracious Lord;                                Bowing here I find my rest
  No tender voice like Thine                       Without You I fall apart
  Can peace afford.                                    You're the One that guides my heart 

  Refrain:
  I need Thee, O I need Thee!                   Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
  Ev'ry hour I need Thee;                           Every hour I need You
  O bless me now, my Saviour!                  My one defense, my righteousness
  I come to Thee.                                      Oh God, how I need You

  I need Thee ev'ry hour;                           Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
  Stay Thou nearby;                                  Where grace is found is where You are
  Temptations lose their pow'r                   And where You are, Lord, I am free
  When Thou art nigh.                               Holiness is Christ in me   

  I need Thee ev'ry hour,                           Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
  In joy or pain;                                         Every hour I need You
  Come quickly and abide,                        My one defense, my righteousness
  Or life is vain.                                         Oh God, how I need You

  I need Thee ev'ry hour;                          Teach my song to rise to You
  Teach me Thy will,                                When temptation comes my way
  And Thy rich promises                           And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
  In me fulfill.                                            Jesus, You're my hope and stay 

  I need Thee ev'ry hour,                          Lord, I need You, oh, I need You 
  Most Holy One;                                    Every hour I need You
  O make me Thine indeed,                      My one defense, my righteousness
  Thou blessed Son!                                 Oh God, how I need You

  I need Thee, O I need Thee!                  You're my one defense, my righteousness
  Ev'ry hour I need Thee;                          Oh God, how I need You
  O bless me now, my Saviour!                My one defense, my righteousness
  I come to Thee.                                    Oh God, how I need You

Annie Sherwood Hawks tells about the inspiration for this hymn:

'I remember well the circumstances under which I wrote the hymn. It was a bright June day, and I became so filled with the sense of the nearness of my Master that I began to wonder how anyone could live without Him, in either joy or pain. Suddenly, the words I need Thee every hour, flashed into my mind, and very quickly the thought had full possession of me. Seating myself by the open windows, I caught up my pencil and committed the words to paper - almost as they are today.

A few months later Dr. Robert Lowry composed the tune Need, for my hymn and also added the refrain. For myself, the hymn, at its writing, was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of love and joy, instead of under the stress of great personal sorrow, with which it has often been associated.

 At first I did not understand why the hymn so greatly touched the throbbing heart of humanity. Years later, however, under the shadow of a great loss, I came to understand something of the comforting power of the words 1 had been permitted to give out to others in my hours of sweet serenity and peace.'{source}