Moses I Know You're the Man / The People of God

This is a folk-style hymn about the church as the People of God.   It starts with the Lord telling Moses to lead the people from Israel, and later verses call on Jesus teaching including  Matthew 8:20-21 / Luke 9:58-59 ("Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head"). 

It was written by English Roman-Catholic convert, physiotherapist, and later teacher and hymn-writer Estelle White (1925-2011) in 1969.

Hymn-books which it has been published in include:

• 20th Century Folk Hymnal - Volume 1- McCrimmon Mayhew, UK, 1974
• Praise for Today - Baptist Church supplement, 1974
• 20th Century Folk Hymnal, volume 1 - Mayhew-McCrimmon, 1974
• Celebration Hymnal, McCrimmon Publications 1976, 1994, 2012
• Hymns Old and New - A Hymnbook for the Irish Church, Kevin Mayhew Ltd, 1977
• Partners in Praise, Stainer & Bell Ltd for the Methodist Church, 1979
• Hymns Old and New - various editions, including Catholic 2009

These books are the only located sources of sheet music for the hymn.

It is set to a tune which has been named THE PEOPLE OF GOD, also by White. This has a 4/4 time signature. In the key of D, the first few notes of the melody are AAA A GF A A A B AAAA with accompanying chords D / A7.

Image adapt. from Moses and the Children of Israel Crossing the Red Sea,
c.1855, by Henri Frédéric Schopin (1804-1880)

Downloads

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Examples

Massed choir with brass band:

Singer with backing track and electric guitar:

Instrumental - organ:

Instrumental - piano ensemble:

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1. 'Moses I know you're the man,' the Lord said ...

Chorus:
So ev'ry day we're on our way,
for we're a travelling, wandering race
called the people of God.

2. 'Don't get too set in your ways,' the Lord said ...

3. 'No matter what you may do,' the Lord said ...

4. 'Look at the birds in the air,' the Lord said ...

5. 'Foxes have places to go,' the Lord said ...

See more ...

• Hymns about the church
• Hymns about Moses

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY 1. 'Moses I know you're the man,' the Lord said.
'You're going to work out My plan,' the Lord said.
'Lead all the Israelites out of slavery.
And I shall make them a wandering race
called the people of God.'

Chorus:
So ev'ry day we're on our way,
for we're a travelling, wandering race
called the people of God.

2. 'Don't get too set in your ways,' the Lord said.
'Each step is only a phase,' the Lord said.
'I'll go before you and I shall be a sign
to guide My travelling, wandering race.
You're the people of God.'

3. 'No matter what you may do,' the Lord said,
'I shall be faithful and true,' the Lord said.
'My love will strengthen you as you go along,
for you're My travelling, wandering race.
You're the people of God.'

4. 'Look at the birds in the air,' the Lord said.
'They fly unhampered by care,' the Lord said.
'You will move easier if you're travelling light,
for you're a wandering vagabond race.
You're the people of God.'

5. 'Foxes have places to go,' the Lord said.
'But I've no home here below,' the Lord said.
'So if you want to be with Me all your days,
keep up the moving and travelling on.
You're the people of God.'