"THE LORD WILL PROVIDE."-GEN. XXII. 8.
I HOUGH troubles assail,
And dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail,
And foes all unite;
Yet one thing secures us,
Whatever betide
The Scripture assures us,
The Lord will provide.
2 The birds without barn
Or storehouse are fed,
From them let us learn
To trust for our bread;
His saints what is fitting
Shall ne'er be denied,
So long as 'tis written,
The Lord will provide.
3 We may, like the ships,
By tempests be tost
On perilous deeps,
But cannot be lost;
Though Satan enrages
The wind and the tide,
The promise engages
The Lord will provide.
4 His call we obey
Like Abraham of old,
Not knowing our way,
But faith makes us bold;
For, though we are strangers,
We have a good guide,
And trust in all dangers,
The Lord will provide.
5 When Satan appears,
To stop up our path
And fill us with fears,
We triumph by faith;
He cannot take from us,
Though oft he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise,
The Lord will provide.
6 He tells us we're weak,
Our hope is in vain,
The good that we seek
We ne'er shall obtain ;
But when such suggestions
Our spirits have tried
This answers all questions,
The Lord will provide.
7 No strength of our own
Or goodness we claim ;
Yet, since we have known
The Saviour's great name,
In this our strong tower
For safety we hide,
The Lord is our power,
The Lord will provide.
8 When life sinks apace,
And death is in view,
The word of His grace
Shall comfort us through;
Though tempests may lower,
With Christ on our side,
E'en in death's darkest hour
The Lord will provide.
"STAYED ON GOD."-ISAIAH XXVI. 3.
HE simple trust that can confide
All troubles to the Lord,
And ask for nothing else, beside
The warrant of His word;
2 That no desire beyond it knows,
No "sign or wonder" craves,
This is the trust that peace bestows!
And this the faith that saves.
3 Thus ever on through life we find
To trust, O Lord, is best :
Who "serve Thee with a quiet mind,"
Find in Thy service rest.
4 Our outward troubles may not cease,
But this our joy shall be ;
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on Thee.
HRISTIAN, whatsoever ail thee,
CHRISTIAN, whatsoever ail
He will not be found to fail thee,
Who guides the heavens by His word.
From His promise comfort borrow,
Wherefore faints thy fearful heart?
For He knows thy every sorrow,
And His love shall not depart.
2 Truly hating thy transgressions,
Hasten to the throne of grace,
Thou shalt see their full remission,
In thy blessed Saviour's face,
And thy God Himself has bidden
All thy care to Him to leave;
Nothing from His eye is hidden,
Which thy trembling heart can grieve.
3 Simply in thy God confiding,
Yield thyself to all His will :
Wilt thou trust thy own self-guiding,
Or His never-erring skill?
He knows every thing that grieves thee,
Every moment's bitterness;
What thy Father's wisdom gives thee
Shall be for thy happiness.
4 He counts thy tears, and thy petition
He will willingly accord,
When He sees it right and fitting;
Wait in patience for thy Lord.
Good is whatsoe'er He sendeth ;
Hope, and be thou undismayed;
When thy "light affliction" endeth
Bloom the joys that ne'er shall fade.
5 In the gloomy hour of sadness,
Act the Christian's stedfast part,
Calmly wait the promised gladness
Let this hope sustain thy heart.
Take the precious consolation,
Strong in faith thy soul shall stand,
Who shall rob thee of salvation
Granted thee by God's own hand?
In the tender arms that fold thee
Sweetly rest thy anxious heart,
Think what power and love uphold thee
Which shall never more depart!
For the Lord will change thy mourning
To an everlasting song,
All thy tears to praises turning :
Wait, although He tarry long.
7 Faithful one! what joys surround thee,
Oh, how great is thy reward,
Say, what blessed hand has crowned thee?
'Tis thy Saviour, Christ the Lord!
To thy short-lived tribulation
Shall succeed a glorious day.
Every sound of lamentation
Heartfelt praise shall chase away.
From the German of C. F. Neander.
"HOLD THOU ME UP AND I SHALL BE SAFE" Written during Illness.
THOU afflicted! listen-hear
The message of thy Father's love,
Dark may thy onward way appear,
But, “I am with thee," saith thy God.
2 Though round thy head the billows roll, Why should'st thou trembling sink dismay'd, All-all, is under His control,
"Tis I," He saith, "be not afraid."
3 "Now is the time in which I come
From earthly bonds to set thee free,
That thou may'st sooner reach thy home,
And walk yet closer still with me.
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