1 God never would send you the darkness,
If He felt you could bear the light;
But you would not cling to His guiding hand,
If the way were always bright;
And you would not care to walk by faith,
Could you always walk by sight.

2 ‘Tis true He has many an anguish
For your sorrowful heart to bear,
And there is yet many a cruel thorn-crown
For your tired head to wear;
He knows how few would keep close to Him,
If pain did not guide them there.

3 So He sends you the great blinding darkness,
And the furnace of seven-fold heat;
Believe me, there is but this only way,
To keep close to His feet,
For always ‘tis easy to stray away,
When our lives are glad and sweet.

4 Then nestle your hand in your Father’s,
And sing if you can, while you go;
Your song may cheer someone following you,
Whose courage is sinking low;
And well if your lips do tremble quite,
God will love you better so.

Source: Glad Tidings in Song #98

• MIDI file from Glad Tidings in Song #98