"The Lord Will Provide" -- Mike's Hymn o' the Week for Friday, July 27, 2007

This week's hymn is "The Lord Will Provide," by John Newton. It must be one of Newton's lesser-known (certainly lesser-known than "Amazing Grace"). A cursory Google search did not yield the full set of lyrics. I should say, I have usually been getting them from CyberHymnal.org, and there is a hymn there entitled, "The Lord Will Provide," but it is not this one. Instead, it comes to me via Matthew Smith's CD, "All I Owe" (and its liner notes).

The song as whole is a great testament to the Christian's life, lived dependent wholly on God. The most beautiful part of the song for me is the very last line: "We hope to die shouting the Lord will provide". It puts a tear in my eye as I pray that it will be true of me. A man whose life ends shouting, "the Lord will provide" is a man whose life was lived by that philosophy, who has no fears, doubts, or regrets, but instead knows that his Lord will welcome him with open arms into Paradise. May it be true of each of us, that we die shouting, "the Lord will provide!"

The Lord Will Provide
by John Newton

Though 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

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 it's written, the Lord will provide

We may, like the ships, by the tempest be tossed
On perilous deeps, but cannot be lost.
Though Satan enrages the wind and the tide,
The promise engages, the Lord will provide.

His call we obey, like Abram 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

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

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 plied,
This answers all questions, the Lord will provide

No strength of our own, or goodness we claim,
Yet since we have known the Savior's great name;
In this our strong tower for safety we hide,
The Lord is our power, the Lord will provide

When life sinks apace and death is in view,
This word of his grace shall comfort us through:
No fearing or doubting with Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting the Lord will provide