“I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”: African American spiritual included among new Latter-day Saint hymns

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Among the new batch of 48 hymns released by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you’ll find an African American spiritual.

“I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me” was released along with 10 other songs in June of 2025 as an addition to “Hymns—For Home and Church.”

According to the church, the song is an African American spiritual and was likely passed down among West and Central African people enslaved in the United States.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sing hymns during their sacrament meeting. (Courtesy//The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

“Because of the importance of sacred music in the Church, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have been intimately involved in every aspect of the new hymnbook, including the selection of hymns to be included,” Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said of the new hymns.

Since its first known recording in 1928 by Blind Benny Paris and his wife, Pauline, the hymn has been sung by hundreds of Christian congregations across the world.

“These approvals have not been taken lightly,” Elder Renlund said.

The first verse of the song reads:

“I’m gonna live so God can use me,

Anytime and anywhere.

I’m gonna live so God can use me,

Anytime and anywhere.”