Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WITHOUT CAREFULNESS, by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL Poet's Biography First Line: Master! How shall I bless thy name Last Line: All, all their care on thee! Subject(s): God; Religion; Theology | ||||||||
MASTER! how shall I bless Thy name For Thy tender love to me, For the sweet enablings of Thy grace, So sovereign, yet so free, That have taught me to obey Thy word And cast my care on Thee? They tell of weary burdens borne For discipline of life, Of long anxieties and doubts, Of struggle and of strife, Of a path of dim perplexities With fears and shadows rife. Oh, I have trod that weary path With burdens not a few, With shadowy faith that Thou wouldst lead And help me safely through, Trying to follow and obey, And bear my burdens too. Master, dear Master! Thou didst speak, And yet I did not hear, Or long ago I might have ceased From every care and fear, And gone rejoicing on my way From brightening year to year. Just now and then some steeper slope Would seem so hard to climb, That I must cast my load on Thee; And I left it for a time, And wondered at the joy at heart, Like sweetest Christmas chime. A step or two on winged feet, And then I turned to share The burden Thou hadst taken up Of ever-pressing care; So what I would not leave with Thee Of course I had to bear. At last Thy precious precepts fell On opened heart and ear, A varied and repeated strain I could not choose but hear, Enlinking promise and command, Like harp and clarion clear; "No anxious thought upon thy brow The watching world should see; No carefulness! O child of God, For nothing careful be! But cast thou all thy care on Him Who always cares for thee." Did not Thy loving Spirit come In gentle, gracious shower, To work Thy pleasure in my soul In that bright, blessed hour, And to the word of strong command Add faith and will and power? It was Thy word, it was Thy will -- That was enough for me! Henceforth no care shall dim my trust, For all is cast on Thee; Henceforth my inmost heart shall praise The grace that set me free. And now I find Thy promise true, Of perfect peace and rest; I cannot sigh, I can but sing While leaning on Thy breast, And leaving everything to Thee, Whose ways are always best. I never thought it could be thus, -- Month after month to know The river of Thy peace without One ripple in its flow; Without one quiver in the trust, One flicker in its glow. Oh, Thou hast done far more for me Than I had asked or thought! I stand and marvel to behold What Thou, my Lord, hast wrought, And wonder what glad lessons yet I shall be daily taught. How shall I praise Thee, Saviour dear, For this new life so sweet, For taking all the care I laid At Thy beloved feet, Keeping Thy hand upon my heart To still each anxious beat? I want to praise, with life renewed, As I never praised before; With voice and pen, with song and speech, To praise Thee more and more, And the gladness and the gratitude Rejoicingly outpour. I long to praise Thee more, and yet This is no care to me: If Thou shalt fill my mouth with songs, Then I will sing to Thee; And if my silence praise Thee best, Then silent I will be. Yet if it be Thy will, dear Lord, Oh, send me forth, to be Thy messenger to careful hearts, To bid them taste and see How good Thou art to those who cast All, all their care on Thee! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MYSTIC BOUNCE by TERRANCE HAYES MATHEMATICS CONSIDERED AS A VICE by ANTHONY HECHT UNHOLY SONNET 11 by MARK JARMAN SHINE, PERISHING REPUBLIC by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE COMING OF THE PLAGUE by WELDON KEES A LITHUANIAN ELEGY by ROBERT KELLY CONSECRATION HYMN by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL I DID THIS FOR THEE! WHAT HAST THOU DONE FOR ME? by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO MY FATHER, 1860 by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL |
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