You help make Hymnary.org possible.

In 2025, more than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources, and encouragement here. If Hymnary has meant something to you this year, would you take a moment to help sustain it? A gift of any size — and a note of encouragement, if you'd like to share one — directly supports the server costs, research, and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org (c/o Calvin University)
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for being part of this important online ministry resource.

6509. The Toil of Brain, or Heart, or Hand

1. The toil of brain, or heart, or hand,
Is man’s appointed lot;
He who God’s call can understand,
Will work and murmur not.
Toil is no thorny crown of pain,
Bound round man’s brow for sin;
True souls, from it, all strength may gain,
High manliness may win.

2. O God! Who workest hitherto,
Working in all we see,
Fain would we be, and bear, and do,
As best it pleaseth Thee.
Where’er Thou sendest we will go,
Nor any question ask,
And what Thou biddest we will do,
Whatever be the task.

3. Our skill of hand, and strength of limb,
Are not our own, but Thine;
We link them to the work of Him
Who made all life divine!
Our brother-friend, Thy holy Son,
Shared all our lot and strife;
And nobly will our work be done,
If molded by His life.

Text Information
First Line: The toil of brain, or heart, or hand
Title: The Toil of Brain, or Heart, or Hand
Author: Thomas W. Freckleton (1884)
Meter: CMD
Language: English
Source: Horder's Congregational Hymnal, 1874
Copyright: Public Domain
Tune Information
Name: SERVICE
Composer: Lorin Webster, 1857-?
Meter: CMD
Incipit: 55365 54433 21235
Key: Dā™­ Major
Copyright: Public Domain



Media
Adobe Acrobat image: Adobe Acrobat image
(Cyber Hymnal)
MIDI file: MIDI File
(Cyber Hymnal)
Noteworthy Composer score: Noteworthy Composer score
(Cyber Hymnal)
XML score: XML score

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.