Verse 1
Away my needless fears,
And doubts no longer mine!
A ray of heavenly light appears,
A messenger divine:
Thrice comfortable hope
That calms my stormy breast,
My Father’s hand prepares the cup,
And what he wills is best.
Verse 2
He knows whate’er I want,
He sees my helplesness,
And always readier is to grant
Than I to ask his grace:
My fearful heart he reads,
Secures my soul from harms,
And underneath his mercy spreads
Its everlasting arms.
Verse 3
Here is firm footing, here,
My soul, is solid rock,
To break the waves of grief and fear,
And trouble’s rudest shock:
This only can sustain
When earth and heaven remove:
O turn thee to thy rest again,
Thy God’s eternal love.
Verse 4
To God again I turn,
And shelter in his breast,
His will (let me rejoice or mourn)
His will is surely best:
His skill infallible,
His providential grace,
His power, and truth, that never fail,
Shall order all my ways.
Verse 5
The random-blows of chance,
The being I defy,
Whose life’s minutest circumstance
Is subject to his eye:
He hears the ravens call;
Nor can his children grieve,
Nor can a worthless sparrow fall
Without my Father’s leave.
Verse 6
Why then was I cast down,
And troubled without cause,
And trembled at the creature’s frown,
And fear’d the threatned loss?
Shall I mistrust his care
My blessings to defend,
Or dread (who cannot lose an hair)
To lose a bosom-friend?
Verse 7
If what I wish is good,
And suits the will divine,
By earth and hell in vain withstood,
I know it shall be mine:
Still let them counsel take
To frustrate his decree,
They cannot keep a blessing back
By heaven design’d for me.
Verse 8
If what my soul requires
Evil to me will prove,
His love shall cross my fond desires,
His kindly-jealous love:
But would I for his sake
With every rival part,
My life, my all, my friend give back?
He knows, he knows my heart.
Verse 9
Here then I doubt no more,
But in his pleasure rest,
Whose wisdom, love, and truth, and power,
Engage to make me blest:
T’ accomplish his design
The creatures all agree,
And all the attributes divine
Are now at work for me.
Verse 10
To know my final state
I at his foot-stool bow,
Who tells my soul THE HAND OF FATE
IS ON THE CURTAIN NOW!
His will the veil withdraws,
And while I lift my eyes,
Discovers there a glorious cross,
And raps me to the skies.