Nader, My God, by U

The story of this hymn

Sarah Flower Adams wrote 'Nearer, my God, to Thee' in 1841, building it on Jacob's night at Bethel — a stone for a pillow and a dream of a ladder reaching heaven. It is fixed in the world's memory as the hymn the band is said to have played as the Titanic went down in 1912, and that story carried it into funeral use everywhere, South Africa included. Afrikaans congregations have sung it in translation for generations.

Where it sits in the service

It sits best at the close of the service or at the graveside — the ladder-to-heaven imagery belongs to the moment of parting, and many families choose it for the committal itself. Print the hymn number from your congregation's book and add the English title in brackets, since overseas guests will know it as 'Nearer, my God, to Thee'.

In the programme, list it in the order of service as “Hymn — Nader, My God, by U” with the leader or choir named beside it.

How it is actually sung

The Afrikaans “Nearer, My God, to Thee”, known to older congregations and sung slowly and deliberately. It suits a burial service and the closing part of the order, before the procession. Younger Afrikaans congregations are often less certain of it than the family assumes — worth asking the minister rather than taking it for granted, because a hesitant closing hymn undoes the end of a service.

Printing the words

Confirm the gesang number with the church and print that. If the congregation skews young, ask whether the words can be reprinted under the church’s licence, because familiarity is not guaranteed.

This is practical guidance rather than legal advice. Reproduction rights vary by territory, by hymnal edition and by the licence your church holds — the church office is the right place to ask, and they answer this question often.