Scripture Verse

Whom the Lord loveth He correcteth. Proverbs 3:12

Introduction

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795), alt. Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship, ed­it­ed by R. Hall (Lon­don: Bur­ton & Briggs, 1817), num­ber 39, alt. Dark and Dis­tress­ing.

Music: Clo­la­ta W. St. Clair Pal­mer, 1893 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bed­dome or Pal­mer (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

O’erwhelmed with wonder and surprise,
Amid dark scenes of providence,
To Heav’n we raise our suppliant eyes,
And wait for light and guidance thence.

Saints for a time may be oppressed,
And broken with repeated woes;
But God will give them ease and rest,
And plead their cause against their foes.

Or if His anger grow severe,
‘Tis but to purge away their sin;
And though the furnace He prepare,
It is to make their graces shine.

Thick clouds may veil His awful throne,
And wrathful arrows fly abroad;
Yet to His saints He still is known,
The righteous and the faithful God.