Ed, When I learned the verse you're asking about, it went (best recollection)

When I was a seeker, I sought both night and day,
I asked the Lord to help me, and He showed me the way.

I thought it was the first verse, but it's given as about the next to last verse in Version 1 of GTIOTM in the DT database.

Mahalia Jackson sang Go Tell It On the Mountain and it seems to be on a lot of her disks and records. It's definitely on "Silent Night - Gospel Christmas" CD, and on the "Go Tell It On the Mountain" CD. She also has albums called Best Loved Spirituals and Gospel at its Best, that might have it. I would trust her version, whatever it is. (Now watch -- she'll have several versions, just for that!) - Good luck. It's a fine song.