Wer nur den lieben Gott lÆsst walten — Warum sollt ich mich denn grÆmen?
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.
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.
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.
4. He knows the time for joy, and truly
Will send it when He sees it meet,
When He has tried and purged thee throughly
And finds thee free from all deceit,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.
5. Nor think amid the heat of trial
That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred;
Time passes and much change doth bring,
And sets a bound to everything.
6. 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.
7. 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.
Why should sorrow ever grieve me?
Christ is near,
What can here
E'er of Him deprive me?
Who can rob me of my heaven
That God's Son,
As mine own,
To my faith hath given?
2. Naked was I and unswathed
When on earth
At my birth
My first breath I breathed.
Naked hence shall I betake me,
When I go
From earth's woe,
And my breath forsake me.
3. Nought, not e'en the live I'm living,
Is mine own,
God alone
All to me is giving.
Must I then His own restore Him?
Though bereft
Of each gift,
Still shall I adore Him.
4. Though a heavy cross I'm bearing,
And my heart
Feels the smart,
Shall I be despairing?
God can help me, who doth send it,
He doth know
All my woe
And how best to end it.
5. God oft gives me days of gladness,
Shall I grieve
If He give
Seasons too of sadness?
God is good and tempers ever
Every hurt,
Me desert
Wholly can He never.
6. Though united world and devil
All their power
Can no more
Do than mock and cavil.
Let derision now employ them,
Christ e'en here
Will appear
And 'fore all destroy them.
7. True believers shrinking never,
Where they dwell
Should reveal
Their true colors ever.
When approaching death would scare them,
Still should they
Patient stay
And with courage bear them.
8. Death can never kill us even,
But relief
From all grief
To us then is given.
It doth close life's mournful story,
Make a way
That we may
Pass to heavenly glory.
9. There I'll reap enduring pleasure,
After woe
Here below
Suffer'd in large measure.
Lasting good we find here never,
All the earth
Deemeth worth
Vanisheth forever.
10. What is all that life possesseth?
But a hand
Full of sand
That the heart distresseth.
Noble gifts that tire me never,
Christ so free
There gives me
To enjoy forever.
11. Shepherd! Lord! joy's fountain ever,
Thou art mine,
I am thine,
No one can us sever.
I am thine, because thou gavest
Life and blood
For my good,
By thy death me savest.
12. Thou'rt mine, for I love and own thee,
Ne'er shall I,
Light of joy,
From my heart dethrone thee.
Let me, let me soon behold thee
Face to face,
Thy embrace
May it soon enfold me.