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BY THE POOR WIDOW’S OIL AND MEAL

Scripture Verse

The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:16

Introduction

portrait
John Newton (1725–1807)

Words: John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), Book 1, num­ber 36. The meal and cruse of oil.

Music: Old Mar­tyrs Psalms (Ed­in­burgh, Scot­land: 1615) (🔊 ).

Lyrics

By the poor wi­dow’s oil and meal
Elijah was sus­tained;
Though small the stock it last­ed well,
For God the store main­tained.

It seemed as if from day to day,
They were to eat and die;
But still, though in a sec­ret way,
He sent a fresh sup­ply.

Thus to His poor He still will give
Just for the pre­sent hour;
But for to­mor­row they must live
Upon His word and pow­er.

No barn or store­house they pos­sess
On which they can de­pend;
Yet have no cause to fear dis­tress,
For Je­sus is their friend.

Then let not doubts your mind as­sail,
Remember, God has said,
The cruse and bar­rel shall not fail;
My peo­ple shall be fed.

And thus though faint it oft­en seems,
He keeps their grace al­ive;
Supplied by His re­fresh­ing streams,
Their dy­ing hopes re­vive.

Though in our­selves we have no stock,
The Lord is nigh to save;
His door flies op­en when we knock,
And ’tis but ask and have.

illustration
Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath
Bernardo Strozzi (1581–1644)