Scripture Verse

The disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. Mark 8:14

Introduction

portrait
John Newton (1725–1807)

Words: John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), Book 1, num­ber 94.

Music: Ab­er­deen pos­si­bly by An­drew Tait, in James Chal­mers’ un­ti­tled col­lect­ion, 1749. Me­lo­dy from Ru­di­ments of Mu­sic, by Ro­bert Brem­ner, 1756 (🔊 pdf nwc).

illustration
Feeding the Five Thousand
St. Andrew’s Church, Hambleton
Photo by Jules & Jenny, Lincoln
Wikimedia Commons

License button

Lyrics

When the dis­ci­ples crossed the lake
With but one loaf on board;
How strange­ly did their hearts mis­take
The cau­tion of their Lord.

The lea­ven of the Pha­ri­sees
Beware,
the Sav­ior said;
They thought, it is be­cause He sees
We have for­got­ten bread.

It seems they have for­got­ten, too,
What their own eyes had viewed;
How with what scarce suf­ficed for few,
He fed a mul­ti­tude.

If five small loaves, by His com­mand,
Could ma­ny thou­sands serve;
Might they not trust His gra­cious hand,
That they should ne­ver starve?

They oft His pow­er and love had known,
And doubt­less were to blame;
But we have rea­son good to own
That we are just the same.

How oft­en has He brought re­lief,
And ev­ery want sup­plied!
Yet soon, again, our un­be­lief,
Says, Can the Lord pro­vide?

Be thank­ful for one loaf today,
Though that be all your store;
Tomorrow, if you trust and pray,
Shall time­ly bring you more.