Scripture Verse

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Introduction

portrait
Horatius Bonar (1808–1889)

Words: Ho­ra­ti­us Bo­nar, Hymns of Faith and Hope, first ser­ies, 1857, pag­es 168–69.

Music: Lynd­hurst (Mak­er) Fred­er­ick C. Mak­er, 1876 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Mak­er (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Calm me, my God, and keep me calm,
While these hot breez­es blow,
Be like the night-dew’s cool­ing balm
Upon earth’s fe­vered brow.

Calm me, my God, and keep me calm,
Soft rest­ing on Thy breast;
Sooth me with ho­ly hymn and psalm,
And bid my spir­it rest.

Calm me, my God, and keep me calm;
Let Thine out­stretch­èd wing
Be like the shade of Elim’s palm
Beside her de­sert spring.

Yes, keep me calm, tho’ loud and rude
The sounds my ear that greet,
Calm in the clo­set’s so­li­tude,
Calm in the bust­ling street;

Calm in the hour of buoy­ant health,
Calm in my hour of pain;
Calm in my po­ver­ty or wealth
Calm in my loss or gain.

Calm in the suf­fer­ance of wrong,
Like Him who bore my shame,
Calm ’mid the threat­en­ing, taunt­ing throng
Who hate Thy ho­ly name;

Calm when the great world’s news with pow­er
My list­en­ing spir­it stir;
Let not the tid­ings of the hour
E’er find too fond an ear.

Calm as the ray of sun or star
Which storms as­sail in vain;
Moving un­ruf­fled through earth’s war,
The eter­nal calm to gain.