“Joy and Peace in Believing” | HYMN of the week

The words of this hymn were written by William Cowper and were published in 1779 in Olney Hymns. This poem is a beautiful reminder of how God heals, comforts, cheers, saves, guides, and provides.

Sometimes a light surprizes
   The Christian while he sings ;
It is the LORD who rises
   With healing in His wings :
When comforts are declining,
   He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining
   To cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation,
   We sweetly then pursue
The theme of GOD'S salvation,
   And find it ever new :
Set free from present sorrow,
   We cheerfully can say,
Ee'n let th' unknown to-morrow
   Bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing
   But he will bear us thro' ;
Who gives the lilies clothing
   Will clothe His people too :
Beneath the spreading heavens,
   No creature but is fed ;
And he who feeds the ravens,
   Will give His children bread.

The vine, nor fig-tree neither,
   Their wonted fruit should bear,
Tho' all the fields should wither,
   Nor flocks, nor herds, be there :
Yet GOD the same abiding,
   His praise shall tune my voice ;
For while in him confiding,
   I cannot but rejoice.

"though the fig-tree shall bear no fruit, and there shall be no produce on the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall produce no food: the sheep have failed from the pasture, and there are no oxen at the cribs; yet I will exult in the Lord, I will joy in God my Saviour. The Lord God is my strength, and he will perfectly strengthen my feet; he mounts me upon high places, that I may conquer by his song."

Habakkuk 3:17-19 LXX