When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and when they pray…and give praise to Your name and turn from their sin because You have afflicted them, then hear from Heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants…Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land.
1 Kings 8:35–36
Words: From the Church Hymn Book, by Paul Henkel, first edition (New Market: Virginia, 1816), number 341. Thanksgiving after a drought.
Music: Abiding Grace John S. Camp, 1905 (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tunes:
Should we not thank and praise our God?
Who heard our humble cry,
Who has withdrawn His chastening rod,
And laid His threat’nings by.
The blessèd rain the Lord hath sent,
Revived our scorching earth,
And put an end to our complaint,
And fears of fatal dearth.
Due praise to God let us return,
For the refreshing rain,
We who like as our earth did mourn,
Are now revived again.
Eternal praise to God we give,
In whose blest hands we are;
Who still provides for us to live,
Unworthy as we are.
Had Heav’n the rain from us withheld,
What would our case have been?
A curse had rested on our fields:
Our just reward for sin.
Thanks be to God, it was His will
In mercy us to spare,
And we enjoy His blessing still,
Unworthy as we are.