Through the cares and vexations of life,
Through sickness, and sorrow, and pain,
Through the valley and shadow of death,
Our stay and our staff shall remain;
O! Lord, our soul waits for thee,
Our help and our shield thou shalt be. And when our frail bark shall be cast,
By tempests and storms, ever near,
'Gainst the breakers which cumber life's stream,
Look aloft, and through faith, never fear;
O Lord, our soul waits for thee,
Our help and our shield thou shalt be! Should sunshine, at times, gild the way
With glitterings which only allure,
And tempt us to sleep 'neath its rays,
We will look to the refuge secure;
O Lord, our soul waits for thee,
Our help and our shield thou shalt be! Oh! 'tis sweet thus to know we may lean
On an arm that is able to save,
Secure, if we trust, from all harm,
From the cradle e'en down to the grave;
O Lord, our soul waits for thee,
Our help and our shield thou shalt be!