How gentle God’s commands!
How kind his precepts are!
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord
And trust his constant care.
Beneath his watchful eye,
His Saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard his children well.
Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne
And sweet refreshment find.
His goodness stands approved,
Unchanged from day to day;
I’ll drop my burden at his feet
And bear a song away.
by Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)
Born in London, Philip Doddridge was the youngest of 20 children. Even before he could read, his mother taught him stories from the Bible. She died when he was only eight years old. His father passed away four years later leaving him an orphan. He continued his education, all the while being drawn to the ministry.
As a preacher he was very popular owing to his sincere and practical sermons. He would write hymns that would summarize his sermons to reinforce and help his congregation apply the truths being taught.
In his relatively short life, although he was known primarily as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was also an author, educator, philanthropist, and prolific hymn writer, writing over 400 hymns in all.
Prelude No. 11: How Gentle God's Commands
No comments:
Post a Comment