Scripture Verse

Behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. Genesis 22:13

Introduction

portrait
Alexander R. Reinagle (1799–1877)

Words: Will­iam Cow­per, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), num­ber 6.

Music: Be­ati Im­ma­cu­la­ti Al­ex­an­der R. Rei­na­gle, Psalm Tunes for the Voice and Pi­ano­for­te, cir­ca 1836 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

The saints should ne­ver be dis­mayed,
Nor sink in hope­less fear;
For when they least ex­pect His aid,
The Sav­ior will ap­pear.

This Ab­ra­ham found: he raised the knife;
God saw, and said, For­bear!
Yon ram shall yield his mean­er life;
Behold the vic­tim there.

Once David seemed Saul’s cer­tain prey;
But hark! the foe’s at hand;
Saul turns his arms ano­ther way,
To save th’in­vad­ed land.

When Jo­nah sank b­eneath the wave,
He thought to rise no more;
But God pre­pared a fish to save,
And bear him to the shore.

Blest proofs of pow­er and grace di­vine,
That meet us in His Word!
May eve­ry deep felt care of mine
Be trust­ed with the Lord.

Wait for His seas­ona­ble aid,
And though it tar­ry, wait:
The pro­mise may be long de­layed,
But can­not come too late.

illustration
Abraham & Isaac on Mount Moriah
Hurlbut’s Story of the Bible, 1902