Scripture Verse

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

Introduction

Words: Fred­er­ick L. Hos­mer, 1881. Hos­mer wrote this hymn up­on the death of a mem­ber of his con­gre­ga­tion. It was pub­lished in The Thought of God, first ser­ies, 1885.

Music: L’Om­ni­po­tent com­posed or adapt­ed by Lou­is Bour­geois in the Ge­ne­van Psal­ter, 1543 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Frederick Hosmer
(1840–1929)

Lyrics

Father, to Thee we
Look in all our sor­row,
Thou art the fount­ain
Whence our heal­ing flows;
Dark though the night,
Joy com­eth with the mor­row;
Safely they rest who
On Thy love re­pose.

When fond hopes fail
And skies are dark be­fore us,
When the vain cares that
Vex our lives in­crease,
Comes with its calm
The thought that Thou art o’er us,
And we grow qui­et,
Folded in Thy peace.

Naught shall af­fright us,
On Thy good­ness lean­ing;
Low in the heart faith
Singeth still her song;
Chastened by pain
We learn life’s deep­er mean­ing,
And in our weak­ness
Thou dost make us strong.

Patient, O heart, though
Heavy be Thy sor­rows;
Be not cast down,
Disquieted in vain;
Yet shalt thou praise Him,
When these dark­ened fur­rows,
Where now He plough­eth,
Wave with gold­en grain.