Choir for 4 voices
Soprano solo
Alto solo
Tenor solo
Bass solo
Oboe I + II
Violin I + II
Viola
Basso continuo

The man who leaves to God all power
And hopeth in him all his days,
He will most wondrously protect him
Through ev'ry cross and sad distress.
Who doth in God Almighty trust
Builds not upon the sand his house.

What help to us are grievous worries?
They just oppress the heart
With heavy woe, with untold fear and pain.
What help to us our "woe and ah!"?
It just brings bitter, sad distress.
What help to us that ev'ry morning
With sighing from our sleep to rise
And with our tearstained countenance at night to go to bed?
We make ourselves our cross and grief
Through anxious sadness only greater.
So fares a Christian better;
He bears his cross with Christ-like confidence and calm.

If we be but a little quiet,
Whene'er the cross's hour draws nigh,
For this our God's dear sense of mercy
Forsakes us ne'er in word or deed.
God, who his own elected knows,
God, who himself our "Father" names,
Shall one day ev'ry trouble banish
And to his children send salvation.

He knows the proper time for gladness,
He knows well when it profit brings;
If he hath only faithful found us
And marketh no hypocrisy,
Then God comes, e'en before we know,
And leaves to us much good result.

Think not within thy trial by fire,
When fire and thunder crack
And thee a sultry tempest anxious makes,
That thou by God forsaken art.
God bides e'en in the greatest stress,
Yea, even unto death
With his dear mercy midst his people.
Thou may'st not think then
That this man is in God's lap sitting
Who daily, like the wealthy man,
In joy and rapture life can lead.
Whoe'er on constant fortune feeds,
Midst nought but days of pleasure,
Must oft at last,
When once he hath of idle lust his fill,
The pot is poisoned! utter.
Pursuing time transformeth much!
Did Peter once the whole night long
With empty labors pass the time
And take in nothing?
At Jesus' word he can e'en yet a catch discover.
Midst poverty then trust, midst cross and pain,
Trust in thy Jesus' kindness
With faithful heart and spirit.
When rains have gone, he sunshine brings,
Appointing ev'ry man his end.

I will to the Lord now look
And e'er in my God put trust.
He worketh truly wonders rare.
He can wealthy, poor and bare,
And the poor, both rich and great,
According to his pleasure make.

Sing, pray, and walk in God's own pathways,
Perform thine own work ever true
And trust in heaven's ample blessing,
Then shall he stand by thee anew;
For who doth all his confidence
Rest in God, he forsaketh not.

1 Peter 3: 8-15

Luke 5: 1-11