Wordwise Hymns

The Bible offers an answer to the question of what we should do with our worries. David writes, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Ps. 55:22). Adds Peter, “Cast…all your cares [distracting anxieties] upon Him, for He cares for [a different Greek word, meaning the Lord is concerned about] you” (I Pet. 5:7).

And it is the Apostle Paul who explains that this “casting” of cares upon God is done through prayer. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

In 1920, Edward Henry Joy (seen here) wrote a beautiful hymn on this theme. Colonel Joy (1871-1949) was an officer and musician in the Salvation Army in England, later serving in Winnipeg, Canada. He also wrote a book called The Old Corps, which describes the early days of the organization (founded in 1865). It tells how the established church of the day was scandalized at some of the aggressive and novel methods used by William Booth to reach the lost and downtrodden of society. Joy’s book was later turned into a musical drama called simply Glory.

His hymn uses the symbol of the mercy seat, above the ark of the covenant in the Old Testament, to represent where God meets with His people through prayer today. His hymn says:

Is there a heart o’er-bound by sorrow?
Is there a life weighed down by care?
Come to the cross–each burden bearing,
All your anxiety, leave it there.

All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat–leave it there;
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus!

Come then at once–delay no longer!
Heed His entreaty kind and sweet;
You need not fear a disappointment–
You shall find peace at the mercy seat.

(2) Today in 1895 – Samuel Smith Died
American Samuel Francis Smith was a Baptist clergyman who also wrote a number of hymns. But he is remembered today chiefly as the author of the national song, My Country ‘Tis of Thee.

My country, ’tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride,
From every mountainside,
Let freedom ring!

Our fathers’ God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.