If you but trust in God to guide you,

and hope in him through all your ways,

he’ll give you strength, whate’er betide you,

and bear you through the evil days.

For those who trust God’s changeless love

build on the rock that naught can move.

[Sing to the Lord 196]

2. What does it help, that anxious caring,

that fear and grief and bitterness?

What do you gain, if you are bearing

your cross in dark despair and stress?

God does not lay on you the load

to dread tomorrow’s unknown road.

3. Be patient and await his leisure

in cheerful hope, with heart content

to take whate’er your Father’s pleasure

and his discerning love has sent;

and do not doubt our needs are known

to him who chose us for his own.

4. Sing, pray, and keep his ways unswerving,

perform your duties faithfully,

and trust his word; though undeserving,

you’ll find his promise true to be.

God never yet forsook in need

the soul that trusted him indeed.

Sing to the Lord 196

Public domain

Text: Georg Neumark, 1641; tr. composite

Tune: Georg Neumark, 1657