Poverty

Verse 1

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength, whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days:
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

Verse 2

What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help, if thou bewail thee
O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

Verse 3

Only be still, and wait His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure
And all-deserving love hath sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

Verse 4

All are alike before the Highest;
’Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

Verse 5

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust His word,—though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Verse 1

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
O may Thy will be mine;
Into Thy hand of love
I would my all resign.
Through sorrow, or through joy,
Conduct me as Thine own;
And help me still to say,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

Verse 2

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
If needy here and poor,
Give me Thy people’s bread,
Their portion rich and sure.
The manna of Thy word
Let my soul feed upon;
And if all else should fail,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

Verse 3

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
Though seen through many a tear,
Let not my star of hope
Grow dim or disappear,
Since Thou on earth hast wept
And sorrowed oft alone,
If I must weep with Thee,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

Verse 4

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
All shall be well for me;
Each changing future scene
I gladly trust with Thee.
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
And sing, in life or death,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

Verse 1

O for a faith that will not shrink
Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of poverty or woe;

Verse 2

That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain
Can lean upon its God;

Verse 3

A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without,
That, when in danger, knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt;

Verse 4

A faith that keeps the narrow way
Till life’s last spark is fled,
And with a pure and heavenly ray
Lights up a dying bed.

Verse 5

Lord, give me such a faith as this,
And then, whate’er may come,
I taste e’en now the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.

Verse 1

Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be!
Lead me by Thine own hand;
Choose out the path for me.

Verse 2

Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy rest.

Verse 3

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
Choose Thou for me, my God.
So shall I walk aright.

Verse 4

The kingdom that I seek
Is Thine; so let the way
That leads to it be Thine,
Else I must surely stray.

Verse 5

Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill,
As best to Thee may seem;
Choose Thou my good and ill.

Verse 6

Choose Thou for me my friends,
My sickness or my health;
Choose Thou my cares for me,
My poverty or wealth.

Verse 7

Not mine, not mine the choice,
In things or great or small;
Be Thou my Guide, my Strength,
My Wisdom, and my All.