If, on a Quiet Sea

147 If, on a Quiet Sea

1. If, on a quiet sea,
   Tow'rd heav'n we calmly sail,
   With grateful hearts, O God, to Thee,
   We'll own the fav'ring gale;
   With grateful hearts, O God, to Thee,
   We'll own the fav'ring gale.

2. But should the surges rise,
   And rest delay to come,
   Blest be the tempest, kind the storm,
   Which drives us nearer home;
   Blest be the tempest, kind the storm,
   Which drives us nearer home.

3. Soon shall our doubts and fears
   All yield to Thy control;
   Thy tender mercies shall illume
   The midnight of the soul;
   Thy tender mercies shall illume
   The midnight of the soul.

4. Teach us, in ev'ry state,
   To make Thy will our own;
   And when the joys of sense depart,
   To live by faith alone;
   And when the joys of sense depart,
   To live by faith alone.
                         Ausustus M. Toplady
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
This hymn, which occurs in about 240 hymnals, is written by the same person who wrote Rock of Ages. His bibliography is interesting in that he was a strong opponent to Wesley and his Arminian take on things—which makes it somewhat ironic that this Methodist hymnal has two of his hymns.
</idle musing>