You know what? I’m actually REALLY surprised that I haven’t done My Faith Looks Up To Thee. When I saw it in the Lift Up Your hearts hymnal (affiliate link) I almost passed it by. A nudging had me searching to see if I’ve done it before I have not! Let’s learn more today shall we?

Lyrics to My Faith Looks Up to Thee
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.
When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!
Author and History
Okay, so Ray Palmer palmed the words to My Faith Looks Up To Thee. He wrote them the day after he saw a vision of Christ. He had just graduated from Yale. Mr. Palmer chose not to share this hymn with anyone for two years. When asked to pen a hymn for a new hymnal, he pulled this one out. Lowell Mason put his words to a tune, and later told Palmer, he’d probably be long remembered for this hymn.
Ray Palmer wasn’t just a hymnist though, he was also a pastor within the Congregational church. He not only pastored, but later served as secretary to a large group of Congregationalist churches. Since the pay to be secretary wasn’t good he lent a hand to creating literary works. He wrote 3-4 hymn/poetry books, wrote for quarterly magazines, and as wrote books and discourses. A father of 10 children, one son and two daughters survived his death (a series of strokes) at age 78.
Steve Green is one of my favourite Christian singers to listen to. He shows his faith well in how he sings praise to God. So of course I had to pick a youtube video showcasing his talent. 🙂
Thinking Deeper
Don’t you just love the call to continue to trust in Jesus? When we are doubtful or sad, or facing a struggle. Even when life has run it’s course, the call is to continue to trust in Jesus.
I don’t know you, but there are times when I question my commitment to the Lord. I have learned in those times to do as as hymnist does… call about the Lord to booster my faith. It’s only by God’s grace that I have faith in him anyways, so it’s a natural thing, don’t you think, to ask him to give strength to our hearts?