Scripture Verse

The water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. Genesis 21:15–16

Introduction

portrait
William Cowper
1731–1800

Words: Will­iam Cow­per, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), Book 3, num­ber 57. For the poor.

Music: Far and Near (Spa­zier) Jo­hann K. Spa­zier (1761–1805) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

illustration
Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness
Karel Dujardin
1622–1678

Lyrics

When Hagar found the bottle spent,
And wept o’er Ishmael;
A message from the Lord was sent
To guide her to a well.

Should not Elijah’s cake and cruse
Convince us at this day,
A gracious God will not refuse
Provisions by the way?

His saints and servants shall be fed,
The promise is secure;
Bread shall be given them, He has said,
Their water shall be sure.

Repasts far richer they shall prove
Than all earth’s dainties are;
’Tis sweet to taste a Savior’s love,
Though in the meanest fare.

To Jesus then your trouble bring,
Nor murmur at your lot;
While you art poor, and He is king,
You shall not be forgot.