He Keeps Me Singing -Luther B. Bridgers

“He Keeps Me Singing” was written by Luther B. Bridgers, who was born in 1884 in North Carolina. As he grew up he assisted with his father’s revival meetings, and he began to preach when he was only 17 years old. After attending Asbury College in Kentucky, he was ordained and served as a pastor and evangelist in the southern United States and helped to establish mission works in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. He preached to large crowds and became widely known for his evangelistic zeal.

Luther had a fine voice and usually sang in his meetings. He wrote a number of hymns, but “He Keeps Me Singing” was his best-known and was published in “The Revival Hymnal #6” by Charles D. Tillman in 1910.  The following year, Luther accepted an invitation to preach 2 weeks of revival meetings near his in-laws’ home in Kentucky; so his wife and 3 young sons stayed with her parents during this time. Tragically, a fire broke out that swept through the house and took the lives of Luther’s entire family.

For many years, writers have given detailed accounts of how the song had been written shortly after this devastating loss. After further investigation, however, a discrepancy was noted. “He Keeps Me Singing” was first published in 1910, but The Courier-Journal, newspaper out of Louisville, Kentucky, reported that the fire took place after midnight on March 27,1911, which was after the song was published. It’s surmised that the confusion over the dates may have resulted from Luther’s retelling the tragedy when singing this testimony in song in his subsequent revival meetings.

“He Keeps Me Singing” was an expression of Luther Bridger’s strong faith in God. The Lord had put this song in Luther’s heart so that it could be remembered during his time of deep sorrow and pain. He’d been given a song in the night, one that he’d written, to be a comfort to him. He kept singing and ministering in spite of his tremendous loss, demonstrating the reality of Christ’s presence and peace. He remarried in 1914 and retired in 1945. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:3).

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