1. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, And cast a wishful eye To Canaan's fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie. 2. All o'er those wide extended plains Shines one eternal day; There God the Son forever reigns And scatters night away. 3. No chilling winds or pois'nous breath Can reach that healthful shore; Sickness and sorrow, pain and death Are felt and feared no more. 4. When shall I reach that happy place, And be forever blest? When shall I see my Father's face, And in His bosom rest? Chorus: I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land; O who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
Lyrics: Samuel Stennett
Music: American melody
Tune: PROMISED LAND
Meter: C.M. with Refrain
Samuel Stennett, 1727–1795
Samuel Stennett was one of the most respected and influential preachers among the dissenting or non-conformist groups of his times. He pastored a Baptist church on Little Wild Street in London, England, for an entire lifetime. The tune, “Promised Land,” is one of the many traditional melodies used in the United States during the early part of the 19th century. The hymn was first published in its present form in 1895.