Shall We Gather at the River Robert Lowry, 1865
5 verses and a refrain, public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Shall we gather at the river
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God.
Refrain Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river,—
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.
Verse 2. On the margin of the river
Washing up its silver spray,
We will walk and worship ever,
All the happy, golden day.
Verse 3. Ere we reach the shining river
Lay we ev’ry burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown.
Verse 4. At the smiling of the river
Mirror of the Savior’s face,
Saints whom death will never sever
Lift their songs of saving grace.
Verse 5. Soon we’ll reach the silver river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from The Otterbein Hymnal (1892). They were published in 1865, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind Shall We Gather at the River
Robert Lowry, a Baptist minister, wrote this hymn in the summer of 1864 in Brooklyn, New York. An epidemic was moving through the city that year. Hymnary.org says Lowry had been wondering why so many hymns spoke of the river of death and so few of the river of the water of life in Revelation 22:1-2. His hymn asks the question and answers it with a refrain of yes.
Accounts of the writing disagree. The earliest, from 1876, has Lowry at his parlor organ while words and music began to flow. A 1888 account by Henry Burrage has him lying on a lounge, worn out by the heat, with the question forming in his mind. Ira Sankey's 1906 book places Lowry at a study table on Elliott Place in Brooklyn, while Burrage names Hanson Place Baptist Church. The sources do not settle the point.
The hymn appeared in 1865 in the Sunday school book Happy Voices under the title "Beautiful River," with five stanzas. The next year William Bradbury's New Golden Shower added a stanza. Lowry wrote the tune too. He later called it brass-band music, with a marching beat, and said he did not think much of it. The 1956 Baptist Hymnal named the tune HANSON PLACE after his church. Modern hymnals usually print three or four stanzas.
Robert Lowry
1826-03-12 to 1899-11-25
Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia on March 12, 1826, and died in Plainfield, New Jersey, on November 25, 1899. He studied at Lewisburg University and served Baptist churches in West Chester, Pennsylvania, New York City, Brooklyn, Lewisburg and Plainfield. He taught belles lettres at Lewisburg and received an honorary D.D. in 1875. Lowry edited Sunday school songbooks, including Bright Jewels and Pure Gold (with W. Doane), and wrote many gospel tunes. He is best known for Shall We Gather at the River and for the refrain and tune of I Need Thee Every Hour.
Robert Lowry
1826-03-12 to 1899-11-25
Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia on March 12, 1826, and died in Plainfield, New Jersey, on November 25, 1899. He studied at Lewisburg University and served Baptist churches in West Chester, Pennsylvania, New York City, Brooklyn, Lewisburg and Plainfield. He taught belles lettres at Lewisburg and received an honorary D.D. in 1875. Lowry edited Sunday school songbooks, including Bright Jewels and Pure Gold (with W. Doane), and wrote many gospel tunes. He is best known for Shall We Gather at the River and for the refrain and tune of I Need Thee Every Hour.
- Hymnary.org: Shall we gather at the river , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnology Archive: Shall we gather at the river , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org: HANSON PLACE (Lowry) , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org: Robert Lowry , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Shall We Gather at the River
The Bible passages behind the words.
- Revelation 22:1-2
- Ezekiel 47:1-12
- John 7:37-38
- Psalm 46:4-5
Shall We Gather at the River videos
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Shall we gather at the river Northern Baptist Association , Congregation
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Shall we gather at the river Savedandkept, Congregation
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Shall We Gather at the River? | The Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Choir
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VOCES8 & Ringmasters: Shall We Gather at the River? arr. Blake Morgan VOCES8, Choir
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Shall We Gather At the River - piano instrumental hymn with lyrics Kaleb Brasee, Piano
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Print and project
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in D.
Questions people ask
What is the story behind Shall We Gather at the River?
Robert Lowry wrote it in Brooklyn in the summer of 1864, during an epidemic. He took the river of the water of life in Revelation 22:1-2 as his picture of heaven. Accounts differ on where and how he wrote it.
Who wrote Shall We Gather at the River?
Robert Lowry wrote the words and the tune. The hymn first appeared in 1865 in the Sunday school book Happy Voices.
What is the tune called?
The tune is HANSON PLACE, named in the 1956 Baptist Hymnal after Lowry's church. Lowry wrote it in 1864.
Is Shall We Gather at the River in the public domain?
Yes. The words are public domain in the United States, first published in 1865. Lowry's tune dates to 1864 and is public domain as well.
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