Scripture Verse

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4

Introduction

Words: Will­iam Young (?-1757). The ear­li­est in­stance of this hymn we have seen is in The Ca­tho­lic Hymn Book (New York: Ed­ward Du­ni­gan & Bro., 1851), pag­es 151–52. Some sourc­es at­trib­ute the text to the Port­ner­isch­es Ge­sang­buch, 1831.

Music: James R. Mur­ray, in Gos­pel Hymns No. 6, ed­it­ed by Ira D. San­key et al. (New York & else­where: Big­low & Main and John Church, 1891), num­ber 82 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
James Murray (1841–1905)

Lyrics

While Thou, O my God, art my help and de­fend­er,
No cares can o’er­whelm me, no ter­rors ap­pall;
The wiles and the snares of the world will but ren­der
More live­ly my hope in my God and my all.

Refrain

My God, my all, my God, my all,
My trea­sure, my glo­ry, my God and my all.

Yes, Thou art my re­fuge in sor­row and dan­ger,
My strength when I suf­fer, my hope when I fall;
My com­fort and joy in this land of the stran­ger,
My trea­sure, my glo­ry, my God and my all.

Refrain

To Thee, dear­est Lord, will I turn with­out ceas­ing,
Though grief may op­press me, or sor­row be­fall;
And love Thee, till death, my blest spir­it re­leas­ing,
Secures me to Je­sus, my God and my all.

Refrain

And when Thou de­mand­est the life Thou hast giv­en,
With joy will I an­swer Thy mer­ci­ful call,
And quit this poor earth but to find Thee in Hea­ven,
My por­tion for­ev­er, my God and my all.

Refrain