Scripture Verse

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? Luke 12:24

Introduction

portrait
Roger Williams (1603–1682)

Words: Ro­ger Will­iams, A Key in­to the Lang­uage of Am­eri­ca 1643.

Music: Dun­ferm­ling Tho­mas Ra­vens­croft, 1621 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Thomas Ravenscroft (1592–1635)

Lyrics

If birds that nei­ther sow nor reap
Nor store up any food
Constantly find to them and theirs
A mak­er kind and good;

If man pro­vide eke for his birds,
In yard, in coops, in cage;
And each bird spends in songs and tunes,
His lit­tle time and age;

What care will man, what care will God
For wife and child­ren take?
Millions of birds and worlds will God
Sooner than His for­sake.