St. Matthew 6: 25-34, with Commentary from Hymn #518, The Lutheran Hymnal: “If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee, by Georg Neumark, 1621-1681

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

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.

 ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing?

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.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

3. Be patient and await His leisure

   In cheerful hope, with heart content

   To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure

   And His discerning love hath sent,

   Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

   To Him who chose us for His own.

 ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

4. God knows full well when times of gladness

   Shall be the needful thing for thee.

   When He has tried thy soul with sadness

   And from all guile has found thee free,

   He comes to thee all unaware

   And makes thee own His loving care.

5. Nor think amid the fiery 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.

 ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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.

³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

7. Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,

   Perform thy duties faithfully,

   And trust His Word, though undeserving,

   Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.

   God never yet forsook in need

   The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Read Full Post »