Scripture Verse

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Introduction

Words: Will­iam L. Den­nis, in The Bap­tist Harp (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­vania: Am­eri­can Bap­tist Pub­li­ca­tion So­ci­ety, 1849), num­ber 113. The wi­dow’s God.

Music: Hat­tie (Rupp) Hen­ry S. Rupp, in Hymns and Tunes (Elk­hart, In­di­ana: Men­non­ite Pub­lish­ing, 1890), page 52 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Den­nis (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Henry S. Rupp (1826–1898)

Lyrics

In this lone hour of deep dis­tress,
When hea­vy sor­rows round me press,
Encouraged by Thy gra­cious word,
I trust Thee as the wi­dow’s God.

A hus­band lies in death’s em­brace,
The grave is now his rest­ing place;
O, as I pass be­neath Thy rod,
Reveal Thy­self the wi­dow’s God.

Assuage my grief, re­move my fears,
Suppress my mur­mur­ing, dry my tears;
Help me to own Thee as my Lord,
And bless Thee as the wi­dow’s God.

Be Thou my coun­sel­or and stay,
Protect by night, and guide by day;
Then, as I tra­vel life’s rough road,
I’ll praise Thee as the wi­dow’s God.