Commit thou all thy ways, and all thy grief and care
To Him whom heaven obeys, whose love is everywhere —
For air, and clouds, and wind, He findeth pathways meet,
Shall He not also find the pathway for thy feet?
Thy trust must be in Him, if thou wouldst be at peace;
If His work is thy theme, thy work shall have success.
With labor of thine own, with sorrowing and with care,
No blessing can be won; God giveth all to prayer.
Ways through all dark distress, all means to thee are known
Thou workest but to bless, thy path is light alone;
And none can stay thine arm, nor bid thy work be still,
When thou wilt save from harm thy people Israel.
Trust, Ο thou sorrowing heart, hope on, be not afraid;
God sees thee where thou art, in darkness and in dread.
And He will lead thee on — trust God to lead thee right;
Thou yet shall see the sun arise in glorious light.
In His great strength arise, cast all thy cares away;
Leave fears, and grief, and sighs, to such as cannot pray.
If thou art not a king, almighty to compel,
Thy God rules everything — and He can rule them well.
Him do thou ever trust — the King who rules aright —
His ways are wise and just, though hidden from thy sight.
How wilt thou wonder soon, when past are fears and doubt,
Thy darkness turned to noon, His purposes worked out.
And though His comfort stay, His help be slowly wrought,
As though He turned away, as though He loved thee not;
And though thou sink awhile, in darkness and in pain,
As if He would not smile, nor show thee light again.
He will not always chide, but when thy hope seems least,
If still thy faith abide, then shalt thou be released:
When once thy trust is proved, the grief that harmed thee not,
Shall wholly be removed, thy full deliverance wrought.
Will God forsake His own? His own, His child, art thou;
The glory and the crown, by faith are given thee now.
And God shall set the palm within thy hand at last;
How sweet shall be thy psalm, when all thy grief is past!
Act, word, and thought shall praise the Lord, who goes before,
To guide us in our ways — our Shepherd evermore.
Ο keep us, faithful God, still faithful to thy love,
So earth’s dark rugged road shall lead to heaven above.
P.G.