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Befiehl du deine Wege.

Paul Gerhardt, 1656.

Tr. A. Ramsey, 1916.

Commit thy ways and faring

With all that grieves thy soul,

To His e’er faithful caring

162

Who doth the heavens control;

Who giving course and highway

To clouds and winds and breeze,

Will find for thee a byway

Where thou canst fare at ease.

But thou must trust Him wholly

To make thy welfare sure;

And look to His work solely

To have thy works endure.

God lets none snatch a blessing

By fretful grief and care

Nor one’s own self-distressing;

It must be got by prayer.

Thy faithfulness unfailing,

O Father, and Thy grace

Mark good or ill prevailing

Amongst this mortal race;

Then what Thou wilt decreeing

And pressing on with ease,

Thou bring’st to pass and being

Whate’er Thy counsels please.

All ways do Thine possessing,

Thou lack’st not means nor might.

Thy deed is purest blessing,

Thy path serenest light.

And none Thy work can hinder,

Nor can Thy labors rest

163

Whenever Thou wouldst render

Thy children what is best.

Though devils all endeavor,

And fain would work defeat,

Beyond all doubt soever

The Lord will not retreat.

Whatever He proposes,

Whate’er He takes in hand,

Whene’er His set time closes

Will come to pass as planned.

Hope on, poor soul, and bravely;

Hope on, no more perplexed.

God from those deeps will save thee

Where thou by griefs art vexed.

With grace will He secure thee;

But wait His time as thine,

And thou wilt see most surely

The sun of gladness shine.

Up! Up! Away with grieving.

Bid anxious fret begone,

Thy heart its sadness leaving,

Its woes ne’er dwelt upon.

Though thou, who dost not govern,

Canst naught at all compel,

God sits enthroned and sov’reign

And doeth all things well.

Let Him, a Ruler knowing,

164

Arrange for thee, and do.

Thou’lt see with wonder growing

How He will bring thee through;

And how, by means most seemly,

By counsels wondrous deep,

He bears Himself supremely

In works which thou dost weep.

True, He awhile will tarry,

His comforting delayed,

And seem Himself to carry

As minded not to aid;

May seem to turn Him from thee,

Nor e’en, though o’er and o’er

Thy cares and griefs o’ercome thee

To ask about thee more.

But though thou seem neglected,

And yet believing be,

When least by thee expected

Will He deliver thee.

Thy heart will He deliver

From all its burd’ning woe

Which thou, unharmed however,

Hast carried hitherto.

And well with thee thereafter,

Child of the Faithful, found

Midst praise and thanks and laughter,

A conqueror, and crowned.

165

The palms in hand before him,

Which God Himself bestows,

With glad songs thou’lt adore Him

Who turned aside thy woes.

Make end, O Lord, good ending

To all our woes ere long.

With strength on us attending,

Our hands and feet make strong.

Thy faithful care bestowing,

Till death, our ways attend;

Then surely, heavenward going

Our ways in heaven will end.

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