Scripture Verse

Do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31–33

Introduction

Words: Geor­gi­ana M. Tay­lor (1847–1915).

Music: Pit­cairn (Cairns) George Cairns, in Vic­to­ri­ous Life Hymns, ed­it­ed by Charles M. Al­ex­an­der (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Sun­day School Times, 1919), num­ber 144 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Cairns (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Tay­lor,

portrait
Georgiana M. Taylor (1847–1915)

Lyrics

Seek ye first, not earth­ly plea­sure,
Fading joy and fail­ing trea­sure,
But the love that knows no mea­sure,
Seek ye first, seek ye first.

Seek ye first God’s peace and bless­ing;
Ye have all if this pos­sess­ing:
Come, your need and sin con­fess­ing,
Seek Him first, seek Him first.

Seek this first—be pure and ho­ly;
Like the Mas­ter, meek and low­ly;
Yielded to His ser­vice whol­ly:
Seek this first, seek this first.

Seek the com­ing of His king­dom;
Seek the souls around, to win them,
Seek to Je­sus Christ to bring them;
Seek this first, seek this first.

Seek this first, His pro­mise trying,
It is sure—all need sup­ply­ing—
Heav’nly things—on Him re­ly­ing—
Seek ye first, seek ye first.