31 Days of Hymns - Day 4

Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord

This hymn so clearly resonates with me. God in His great mercy, love and goodness providentially lead me to this hymn through a long path of events bringing me eventually to Spurgeon's Treasury of David concerning Psalm 37:5. It's here that Spurgeon brings comfort through Biblical truth, illuminating grace even more with this marvelous hymn. May this bring comfort to you as well.

Verse 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Roll the whole burden of life upon the Lord. Leave with Jehovah not thy present fretfulness merely, but all thy cares; in fact, submit the whole tenor of thy way to him. Cast away anxiety, resign thy will, submit thy judgment, leave all with the God of all. What a medicine is this for expelling envy! What a high attainment does this fourth precept indicate! How blessed must he be who lives every day in obedience to it! Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Our destiny shall be joyfully accomplished if we confidently entrust all to our Lord. We may serenely sing—

"Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be:
Lead me by Thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy Rest

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not if I might:
Choose Thou for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright.
Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill
As best to Thee may seem;
Choose Thou my good and ill."

The ploughman sows and harrows, and then leaves the harvest to God. What can he do else? He cannot cover the heavens with clouds, or command the rain, or bring forth the sun or create the dew. He does well to leave the whole matter with God; and so to all of us it is truest wisdom, having obediently trusted in God, to leave results in his hands, and expect a blessed issue.

Here's the entire hymn by Horatius Bonar:

Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be:
Lead me by Thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy Rest

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not if I might:
Choose Thou for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright.
Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill
As best to Thee may seem;
Choose Thou my good and ill.

Choose Thou for me my friends,
My sickness or my health;
Choose Thou my cares for me,
My poverty or wealth.
Not mine, not mine the choice
In things or great or small;
Be Thou my guide, my strength,
My wisdom, and my all.



 Listen here:

Contemporary rendition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP6x0KfLqZM

Another delightful contemporary rendition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5KuwvS0pA4

Traditional Church Rendition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDtdm3b_QVI

Beautifully sung in a foreign language:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA4ZGuuSoA4

Read more about this hymn:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/thy_way_not_mine_o_lord

Read where I encountered this hymn:
http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps037.htm