If thou but suffer

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
 

And hope in Him through all thy ways,


He’ll give thee strength whate’er betide thee, 

And bear thee through the evil days.


Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
 

Builds on the rock that nought can move.

What can these anxious cares avail thee,


These never-ceasing moans and sighs?


What can it help, if thou bewail thee


O’er each dark moment as it flies?

Our cross and trials do but press

The heavier for our bitterness.

Only be still and wait His leisure

In cheerful hope, with heart content

To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure

And all-deserving love hath sent,

Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

God knows the time for joy, and truly


Will send it when He sees it meet,


When He has tried and purged thee throughly


And finds thee free from all deceit,


He comes to thee all unaware


And makes thee own His loving care.

Nor think amid the heat of trial


That God hath cast thee off unheard,


That he whose hopes meet no denial


Must surely be of God preferred;


Time passes and much change doth bring,


And sets a bound to everything.

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
In all thy labor faithful be,

And trust His Word, though undeserving,

Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.

God never yet forsook at need

The soul that trusted Him indeed.

-Georg Neumark