The story behind the hymn
At a Dwight Moody meeting in Massachusetts, a young man rose to give his testimony and admitted he was not sure of much doctrine, but said: I am going to trust, and I am going to obey. The musician Daniel Towner jotted the sentence down and sent it to John Sammis, who turned it into this hymn.
The hymn's genius is its simplicity: the whole Christian walk reduced to two verbs held together. Trust without obedience is empty; obedience without trust is drudgery; together they are the way to walk in the light.
Its refrain has become proverbial far beyond the hymnal — a six-word rule of life for happy discipleship.
The lyrics
When we walk with the LordIn the light of His word,What a glory He sheds on our way!While we do His good will,He abides with us still,And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there's no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
But we never can proveThe delights of His loveUntil all on the altar we lay;For the favour He shows,For the joy He bestows,Are for them who will trust and obey.
Public domain. Free to sing, copy, print, and share.
The Scripture behind it
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Walking in the light — the hymn's opening image.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
If a man love me, he will keep my words — trust joined to obedience.