I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining ev’ry day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Tho’ some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Tho’ Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

            Johnson Oatman, Jr. was born near Medford, New Jersey, on April 21, 1856.  In his early life, Oatman was actively involved in the family’s mercantile business, and, upon his father’s death, entered into the insurance business.  He attended Herbert’s Academy in Vincentown, New Jersey, and the New Jersey Collegiate Institute in Bordentown.  In 1892, at the age of 36, he started writing gospel lyrics.  By his death in 1926, Johnson Oatman, Jr. had written approximately 3,000 hymn texts.  It is reported that Oatman generally averaged four to five new texts each week.  His lyrics were always in great demand by the leading gospel musicians of his day.  Oatman is also the lyricist of such popular hymns as “Count Your Blessings” and “No, Not One!”

            The composer of this hymn, Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, was born on August 18, 1856, in Wilton, Iowa.  Gabriel is considered to be one of the most popular and influential gospel musicians of the early 1900’s.  It is estimated that Charles Gabriel was involved in the writing of more than 8,000 songs, as well as in the editing of numerous compilations and hymnals.  In many of his songs he wrote both the lyrics and music.  Often Gabriel attributed his texts to his pseudonym, “Charlotte G. Homer.”

            “Higher Ground” was first published in 1898.  In his autobiography, Sixty Years Of Gospel Song, Gabriel recalls that he composed this tune after his return to Chicago in September, 1892, and sold it for the grand sum of five dollars.

            This hymn embodies the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Christians in Philippi: “Brethren…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let us therefore, as many as are mature, have this attitude…” (Philippians 3:13-15).

            As the first verse of this hymn proclaims, so must all disciples of Christ affirm—“I’m pressing on the upward way.”  The Christian has been called to live according to a “higher” standard.  The one that has wholeheartedly dedicated his/her life to following in the ways of the Master Teacher refuses to live another single day in the filth of the world.  Peter’s warning is taken to heart: “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first…It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A dog returns to its own vomit,’ and ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire’” (2 Peter 2:20-22).  The Christian determines to press on the “upward,” more noble way, with a prayer in his heart: “Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

            All Christians would do well to meditate carefully on the words of the second verse they so often sing: “My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay.”  Jesus assures us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24).  Armed with that conviction, the fully devoted follower of Christ says with Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.  But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better…” (Philippians 1:21-23).  The child of God whose gaze is firmly fixed on the heavens has the ultimate desire of leaving this world with its trials and temptations behind.  “Tho’ some may dwell where these abound, my prayer, my aim is higher ground.”

            “I want to live above the world, tho’ Satan’s darts at me are hurled.”  Make no mistake about it: the path that travels the “higher ground” is not the easy route.  But that should come as no surprise.  “Enter through the narrow gate,” Jesus admonishes, “for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).  Paul assures us that we are engaged in a great war for our souls:

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places…take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:10-17).

            Through faith, the child of God can hear the joyful shouts and words of encouragement of the “great cloud of witnesses” that have fought the good fight and finished their race successfully (Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:6-8)—the song of deliverance and triumph!  “For faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground.”