Scripture Verse

You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it. John 14:13

Introduction

portrait
Civilla D. Martin
1866–1948

Words: Ci­vil­la D. Mar­tin, 1904. First ap­peared in Songs of Re­demp­tion and Praise, by John A. Da­vis, 1905.

This song is cred­it­ed for trans­form­ing the life of James Cash Pen­ney, foun­der of the Am­er­ican de­part­ment store chain J. C. Pen­ney. He heard it one morn­ing in the cha­pel of the Kel­logg San­i­tar­i­um in Bat­tle Creek, Mi­chi­gan, where he had been hos­pi­tal­ized with a se­vere case of shin­gles, as well as ex­haus­tion and de­pres­sion.

Music: W. Still­man Mar­tin (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Ci­vil­la or Stil­lman Mar­tin,

portrait
W. Stillman Martin
1862–1935

I was con­fined to a sick bed in a Bi­ble school in Les­ter­shire [now John­son Ci­ty], New York. My hus­band was spend­ing sev­er­al weeks at the school, mak­ing a song­book for the pre­si­dent of the school. God Will Take Care of You was writ­ten one Sun­day af­ter­noon while my hus­band went to a preach­ing ap­point­ment.

When he re­turned I gave the words to him. He im­me­di­ate­ly sat down to his lit­tle Bil­horn or­gan and wrote the mu­sic. That ev­en­ing he and two of the teach­ers sang the com­plet­ed song. It was then print­ed in the song­book he was com­pil­ing for the school.

Civilla Martin

Lyrics

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

God will take care of you,
Through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.

Refrain