I take the journey of a day,
Thy sun, Lord, gives me light;
The moon and stars, Thy voice obey,
And watch me through the night.
195
For mercies every hour bestow'd
Unceasing thanks are due;
Now, 'midst the dangers of the road,
Lord, bring me safely through.
Upheld by Thine Almighty arm,
And guided by Thine eye,
Storms cannot crush, nor lightnings harm,
Sickness nor plague come nigh.
Thou art Thy people's sun and shield,
Their glory and defence;
All elements allegiance yield
To sovereign Providence.
But not in Providence alone
The Godhead's footsteps shine,
In grace are mightier wonders shown,
Of love and power divine.
As these thus far on pilgrimage,
My lengthen'd course attend,
So may they lead me stage by stage,
To mine appointed end.
When all my journeyings here must cease,
And life no more shall be;
Lord, let me then depart in peace,
From every thing but Thee.
Source: Sacred Poems and Hymns #192
James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missio… Go to person page >
My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files