HYMN STORIES: The Songs We Sing

“He Touched Me”

This Sunday at the 8:30 service we will sing He Touched Me by Bill Gaither. The inspiration for the writing of the song came very late one night. He had been asked to play the piano for a revival meeting in Huntington, Indiana. He was accompanying gospel singer Doug Oldham who was providing the music for his father, Dr. Dale Oldham, the speaker for the evening. After the meeting, as the three rode back to Bill’s home in Anderson, Indiana, they discussed how deeply they had felt the Spirit at the meeting. Dr. Oldham dropped Bill off at home and his parting words were, “You should write a song that says, ‘He touched me, oh, He touched me’”

Gaither completed the song, working throughout the night, and revised it with Gloria the next morning. Doug Oldham first recorded it in 1964, followed quickly by the Bill Gaither Trio and other notable artists including The Imperials (1965), Elvis Presley (1972), Tennessee Ernie Ford (1977), and, more recently, Steven Curtis Chapman (2013).

Though inspired by a revival sermon, touch was a significant part of Jesus’ healing ministry, both touching others and others touching him. For example, a woman with a flow of blood touched Jesus from behind (Matthew 9:20-21). The sick begged Jesus to let them touch the hem of his cloak (Matthew 14:35-36; Mark 3:10; 6:56). The blind man at Bethsaida begged Jesus touch him (Mark 8:22). The story of the leper that begged Jesus to cleanse him (Matthew 8:1-3; Luke 5:12-13) corresponds particularly well with the refrain of the song. The strength of this song lies in its combination of personal witness and biblical narrative. On the one hand, this song is a first-person account of an encounter with Jesus who transformed the singer’s life stained with “guilt and shame” (stanza 1) to a life “cleansed and made. . . whole” (stanza 2). On the other hand, this song bears witness to several biblical narratives and extends them to the present day. The singer of this hymn steps into the biblical story.

While the stanzas describe the encounter, it is the refrain that communicates the ecstasy of the moment—“oh the joy that floods my soul.” This was a wondrous encounter—“something happened”—that cannot be explained. The result is that the singer has been “made. . . whole.” As we sing the song this Sunday let’s be made whole by encountering the Living God!

Shared by Lindrew Johnson, Director of Worship