Christ My Song - 1538
In all my plans, thou Highest - Dependence on God
(Paul Flemming/Henry Mills/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Dependence on God.
1. In all my plans, thou Highest,
if counsel thou suppliest,
my efforts may succeed:
but every best endeavour,
without thy smile of favour,
can but to disappointment lead. PDF - Midi
2. No toil by day, nor sorrow
from evening till the morrow,
nor murm'ring aught avails:
my goings I confide them
to thee, my God, to guide them, –
to faith thy mercy never fails.
3. The path – would I oppose it?
My heavenly Father chose it
and it will wisdom prove:
thou takest, or thou givest, –
the same thou ever livest, –
and evermore thy name is love.
4. Pursuing thy direction,
I'll trust in thy protection,
amid surrounding foes;
thy promise, always near me,
with constant hope will cheer me,
till thou the promised good disclose.
5. From sin's oppressive burden
relieving me, thy pardon
from wrath has set me free:
leave not my soul forsaken,
if now by sin o'ertaken,
but in thy patience chasten me!
6. When night repose is lending,
or sun, the skies ascending,
brings back the toils of day:
when ways of peril offer,
or I the cross must suffer,
thy word abides my spirit's stay.
7. Go with me! – and wherever
it be, – I'll nothing waver, –
content, will forward go.
No threatened ill alarms me,
with strength thy presence arms me, –
and will conduct me safely through.
8. With all thy will complying,
for living, – or for dying,
the whole to thee I leave:
if thou today should call me
to die – 't will not appal me,
I'll, undismayed, the call receive.
9. Be his, my spirit, wholly,
and trust his wisdom solely,
who has thy being blessed:
whate'er on earth be given,
thy Father rules in heaven,
appointing what for thee is best.
P. Flemming, before setting out with an embassy to Persia, 1635.
Henry Mills, Horæ Germanicæ, 1856, hymn 88.
Translated from the German In allen meinen Taten
of Paul Flemming.