Father, Whate’er of Earthly Bliss

Words: Anne Steele, Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional 1760, page 134. The text comes from Steele’s 10-stanza When I Survey Life’s Varied Scene. Augustus Toplady chose these three verses.

Music: Naomi Hans G. Nägeli. Arranged by Lowell Mason, 1836 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

Denton, E. C. Hamilton, in Christ in Song (Revised & Enlarged Edition), edited by Franklin E. Belden (Washington, DC: Review & Herald, 1908), number 812 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Lystra (Wesley), Charles Wesley, Jr. (1757–1834) (🔊 pdf nwc)

If you know where to get a good picture of Steele (head-and-shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels), would you ?

Father, whate’er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies,
Accepted at Thy throne, let this
My humble prayer, arise:

Give me a calm and thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessing of Thy grace impart,
And make me live to Thee.

Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine
My life and death attend,
Thy presence through my journey shine,
And crown my journey’s end.

Scripture Verse