Both words and music were written by Charles Albert Tindley, born July 7, 1851, the son of parents who were slaves in Berlin, Maryland. He was 4 his mother died, and at age 5 he became separated from his father. By his own efforts he learned to read and write at age 17. Moving to Philadelphia, he went to night school and worked as a hod carrier and church janitor. After finishing a correspondence course from Boston School of Theology, he was ordained to the Methodist ministry; from 1885 to 1902 he served as pastor in Delaware and New Jersey. For three of these years he was the presiding elder of the Wilmington District. The year 1902 found him back in Philadelphia as pastor of Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church. Great crowds of people came to hear his sermons, and the church became known for its ethnic mixture of Blacks, Whites, Italians, Jews, Germans, Norwegians, Mexicans , and Danes.

Tindley  wrote both words and music of many gospel songs, including “Stand By Me,” “Leave It There,” “We’ll Understand it Better By and By,” and “I’ll Overcome Someday.” The latter became the basis for “We Shall Overcome,” the theme song of the civil rights movement. We are told that Tindley had a strong influence on, and was greatly admired by, the “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” Tindley died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1933.

The arrangement is by Wayne Hooper (1920- ; see Biographies).