Almighty King, whose wondrous hand

Representative Text

1. Almighty King! whose wondrous hand,
Supports the weight of sea and land;
Whose grace is such a boundless store,
No heart shall break that sighs for more.

2. Thy providence supplies my food,
And ’tis Thy blessing makes it good;
My soul is nourished by Thy word,
Let soul and body praise the Lord.

3. My streams of outward comfort came
From Him who built this earthly frame;
Whate’er I want His bounty gives,
By whom my soul for ever lives.

4. Either His hand preserves from pain,
Or, if I feel it, heals again;
From Satan’s malice shields my breast,
Or overrules it for the best.

5. Forgive the song that falls so low
Beneath the gratitude I owe!
It means Thy praise, however poor,
An angel’s song can do no more.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #16719

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Author: William Cowper

William Cowper (pronounced "Cooper"; b. Berkampstead, Hertfordshire, England, 1731; d. East Dereham, Norfolk, England, 1800) is regarded as one of the best early Romantic poets. To biographers he is also known as "mad Cowper." His literary talents produced some of the finest English hymn texts, but his chronic depression accounts for the somber tone of many of those texts. Educated to become an attorney, Cowper was called to the bar in 1754 but never practiced law. In 1763 he had the opportunity to become a clerk for the House of Lords, but the dread of the required public examination triggered his tendency to depression, and he attempted suicide. His subsequent hospitalization and friendship with Morley and Mary Unwin provided emotional st… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Almighty King, whose wondrous hand
Author:	William Cowper
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Almighty King, whose wondrous hand. W. Cowper. [Grace and Providence.] No. 81, Bk. iii., of the Olney Hymns, 1779, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Grace and Providence." It has not attained to the position of many of Cowper's hymns, and is found in a few collections only, including Martineau's Hymns, &c, 1840 and 1873.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Notes

Almighty King, whose wondrous hand. W. Cowper. [Grace and Providence.] No. 81, Bk. iii., of the Olney Hymns, 1779, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Grace and Providence." It has not attained to the position of many of Cowper's hymns, and is found in a few collections only, including Martineau's Hymns, &c, 1840 and 1873.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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