Father, I know that all my life is portioned out for me, And the changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see; But I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee.
D
Father, I know that
G
all my
A
life
A7
is
D
portioned
E7
out for
A
me,
And the
Em
changes
A7
that are
D
sure to
G
come I
D
do not
A7
fear to
D
see;
But I
G
ask Thee
A
for
A7
a
D
present
G
mind
Em
in
D
tent on
A7
pleasing
D-G-D
Thee.
2
I ask Thee for a thoughtful love, through constant watching wise, To meet the glad with joyful smiles, and to wipe the weeping eyes; And a heart at leisure from itself, to soothe and sympathize.
I ask Thee for a thoughtful love, through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles, and to wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself, to soothe and sympathize.
D
I ask Thee for a
G
thoughtful
A
love,
A7
through
D
constant
E7
watching
A
wise,
To meet
Em
the glad
A7
with
D
joyful smiles,
G
and to
D
wipe the
A7
weeping
D
eyes;
And a
G
heart at
A A7
leisure
D
from
G
itself,
Em
to
D
soothe and
A7 D-G-D
sympathize.
3
I would not have the restless will that hurries to and fro, Seeking for some great thing to do or secret thing to know; I would be treated as a child, and guided where I go.
I would not have the restless will that hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child, and guided where I go.
D
I would not have the
G
restless
A
will
A7
that
D
hurries
E7
to and
A
fro,
Seeking
Em
for some
A7
great thing
D
to do
G
or
D
secret thing
A7
to know;
I would
G
be treated
A
as
A7
a
D
child, and
G
guided
Em
where
D
I go.
4
Wherever in the world I am, in whatso’er estate, I have a fellowship with hearts to keep and cultivate; And a work of lowly love to do for the Lord on whom I wait.
Wherever in the world I am, in whatso'er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts to keep and cultivate;
And a work of lowly love to do for the Lord on whom I wait.
D
Wherever in the
G
world I
A
am,
A7
in
D
whatso'er
E7
estate,
I have
Em
a
A7
fellowship
D
with hearts
G
to keep
D
and
A7
cultivate;
And a
G
work of
A A7
lowly
D
love to
G
do
Em
for
D
the Lord
A7
on whom
D-G-D
I wait.
5
So I ask Thee for the daily strength, to none that ask denied, And a mind to blend with outward life while keeping at Thy side; Content to fill a little space, if Thou be glorified.
So I ask Thee for the daily strength, to none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life while keeping at Thy side;
Content to fill a little space, if Thou be glorified.
D
So I ask Thee for
G
the
A
daily
A7
strength,
D
to none
E7
that ask
A
denied,
And a
Em
mind to
A7
blend with
D
outward
G
life while
D
keeping
A7
at Thy
D
side;
Content
G
to fill
A
a
A7 D
little space,
G
if
Em
Thou
D
be
A7
glorified.
6
And if some things I do not ask in my cup of blessing be, I would have my spirit filled the more with grateful love to Thee, More careful, not to serve Thee much, but to please Thee perfectly.
And if some things I do not ask in my cup of blessing be,
I would have my spirit filled the more with grateful love to Thee,
More careful, not to serve Thee much, but to please Thee perfectly.
D
And if some things I
G
do not
A
ask
A7
in
D
my cup
E7
of
A
blessing be,
I would
Em
have my
A7
spirit
D
filled the
G
more with
D A7
grateful love
D
to Thee,
More
G
careful,
A
not
A7
to
D
serve Thee
G
much,
Em
but
D
to please
A7
Thee
D-G-D
perfectly.
7
There are briers besetting every path that call for patient care; There is a cross in every lot, and an earnest need for prayer; But a lowly heart that leans on Thee is happy anywhere.
There are briers besetting every path that call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot, and an earnest need for prayer;
But a lowly heart that leans on Thee is happy anywhere.
D
There are briers
G
besetting
A A7
every
D
path that
E7
call for
A
patient care;
There is
Em
a cross
A7
in
D
every
G
lot, and
D
an
A7
earnest need
D
for prayer;
But a
G
lowly
A
heart
A7
that
D
leans on
G
Thee
Em
is
D
happy
A7 D-G-D
anywhere.
8
In a service which Thy will appoints there are no bonds for me; For my inmost heart is taught “the truth” that makes Thy children “free” And a life of self-renouncing love is a life of liberty.
In a service which Thy will appoints there are no bonds for me;
For my inmost heart is taught "the truth" that makes Thy children "free"
And a life of self-renouncing love is a life of liberty.
D
In a service which
G
Thy will
A A7
appoints
D
there are
E7
no bonds
A
for me;
For my
Em
inmost
A7
heart is
D
taught "the
G
truth" that
D
makes Thy
A7
children
D
"free"
And a
G
life of
A A7 D
self-renouncing
G
love
Em
is
D
a life
A7
of
D-G-D
liberty.
Very little is known about the author of this hymn, because of her remarkably retiring disposition. She was Anna Laetitia Waring, and was born in Neath, a town of South Wales, in 1820. In 1850 she published her "Hymns and Meditations," and in 1858 she published "Additional Hymns." It is believe that she was a Friend, and that her life was full of suffering and pain. Hymn #305 in the Chinese Hymnal is a translation of this hymn by Watchman Nee.
And a mind to blend with outward life while keeping at Thy side;
It's a mystery that we can simultaneously live in the physical realm and spiritual realm, having our spirit and soul divided (Heb. 4:12). Just as the man and woman raptured in Matthew 24:40-41 learned this precious lesson, we also can learn, learn until we become rapture-ready!
This song was taught by my father late primate Joshua odaliki to us in the choir in 1972 at the African Apostolic church Ebute metta lagos it was his favorite song and the song became my favorite
I enjoy singing this song especially in my difficult times
The first time this hymn actually resonated in me was when my mentor recited the first stanza as he prayed for me when I was preparing for the seminary. I believed from that day that “God is in charge of my life, especially my tomorrows which I know not of. ”
Today, I’ve remembered the song after three years of my mentor’s prayer. My senior brother asked me to pray for him as a gift he would want for his birthday. Thus, I’ve come back to ask the Lord to give a present mind to him for all his tomorrows.
I was recently asked what my favorite hymn was and Anna Waring’s “Father, I Know That All My Life” came out. Thank you for this site with piano and lyrics. Having not sung for a few years, I was able to sing after reading and before prayer. Remembering the Lord has portioned out my life brings immense hope and contentment. Thank you Miss Waring for your love for our Lord. Thank you Lord for blessing Anna with the gift of poetry and blessing all of your saints.
As I came before our Lord in prayer this morning the words, 'I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee' came to my mind. Searching on Google I found the words of this hymn which spoke clearly to my situation. Thank you Jesus.
Never hearing this hymn before, I was greatly moved to tears singing and praying over it this morning when I "happened" upon it through a word search in the hymns. This fragrant experience uttered by the author is her personal, secret, rewarding experience of Christ deep within and is a good pattern of the heart's contentment in every situation for the Father's glory. Surely if we allow Christ to build up His Body in us His members our heart's experiences will echo this author's heart. May each member have such joy and contentment in the placement and situation in which the Lord places us.
This hymn has eight stanzas. Right is the number of resurrection.
"Father, I know that all my life is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see;
But I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee."
Like what David said in Psalm 31:15, "My times are in Your hand..." and in Psalm 39:9, "I was dumb; I did not open my mouth; / For You have done this." Matthew 10:30 also says "even the hairs of your head are all numbered."
I was led to this hymn because of a portion of service. On second thought, I was led to this hymn because of the Father who knew I needed some recovery and renewing for my mind during this pivotal time.
I tend to get distracted :( so I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee! Thank You, Abba Father! You really do know your children well :)
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Philippines
And a mind to blend with outward life while keeping at Thy side;
It's a mystery that we can simultaneously live in the physical realm and spiritual realm, having our spirit and soul divided (Heb. 4:12). Just as the man and woman raptured in Matthew 24:40-41 learned this precious lesson, we also can learn, learn until we become rapture-ready!
Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
This song was taught by my father late primate Joshua odaliki to us in the choir in 1972 at the African Apostolic church Ebute metta lagos it was his favorite song and the song became my favorite
I enjoy singing this song especially in my difficult times
Airport, Accra, Ghana
My father's favourite hymn. He sang it everyday when he was alive. The words of the hymn reminds me so much of his life. God bless the hymn writer.
Suncity, Accra, Ghana
Every word in this hymn says exactly what I want to tell God, I need to tell God and my appeal to my God tonight. First to last stanza.
Kumasi, Ghana
The first time this hymn actually resonated in me was when my mentor recited the first stanza as he prayed for me when I was preparing for the seminary. I believed from that day that “God is in charge of my life, especially my tomorrows which I know not of. ”
Today, I’ve remembered the song after three years of my mentor’s prayer. My senior brother asked me to pray for him as a gift he would want for his birthday. Thus, I’ve come back to ask the Lord to give a present mind to him for all his tomorrows.
Amen.
Leo, IN, United States
I was recently asked what my favorite hymn was and Anna Waring’s “Father, I Know That All My Life” came out. Thank you for this site with piano and lyrics. Having not sung for a few years, I was able to sing after reading and before prayer. Remembering the Lord has portioned out my life brings immense hope and contentment. Thank you Miss Waring for your love for our Lord. Thank you Lord for blessing Anna with the gift of poetry and blessing all of your saints.
Detroit, Michigan, United States
stanza 2 - To be watchful to appreciate the marks of grace in others requires that we have "a heart a leisure from itself." - W. H. Griffith Thomas
Hull, United Kingdom
As I came before our Lord in prayer this morning the words, 'I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee' came to my mind. Searching on Google I found the words of this hymn which spoke clearly to my situation. Thank you Jesus.
Salem, OR, United States
Never hearing this hymn before, I was greatly moved to tears singing and praying over it this morning when I "happened" upon it through a word search in the hymns. This fragrant experience uttered by the author is her personal, secret, rewarding experience of Christ deep within and is a good pattern of the heart's contentment in every situation for the Father's glory. Surely if we allow Christ to build up His Body in us His members our heart's experiences will echo this author's heart. May each member have such joy and contentment in the placement and situation in which the Lord places us.
This hymn has eight stanzas. Right is the number of resurrection.
Philippines
"Father, I know that all my life is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see;
But I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee."
Like what David said in Psalm 31:15, "My times are in Your hand..." and in Psalm 39:9, "I was dumb; I did not open my mouth; / For You have done this." Matthew 10:30 also says "even the hairs of your head are all numbered."
I was led to this hymn because of a portion of service. On second thought, I was led to this hymn because of the Father who knew I needed some recovery and renewing for my mind during this pivotal time.
I tend to get distracted :( so I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee! Thank You, Abba Father! You really do know your children well :)