Be still, my soul

73 Finlandia. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10.

1 Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
   Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
   Leave to thy God to order and provide;
   In ev'ry change He faithful will remain.
   Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
   Thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2 Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
   To guide the future as He has the past.
   Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
   All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
   Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
   His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3 Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on
   When we shall be forever with the Lord,
   When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
   Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
   Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
   all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
                         Katharine von Schlegel
                         Translated by Jane L. Borthwick
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I've always loved the haunting melody of this hymn, and as I've grown older, I also have come to appreciate the quiet assurance that it provides.

Hymnary.org inserts a verse after the second verse and adds a fifth one, neither of which I had ever heard before:

3 Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
   And all is darkened in the veil of tears,
   Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
   Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
   Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
   from His own fullness all He takes away.

5 Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
   On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
   Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
   So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
   Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
   Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

</idle musing>