Begone, unbelief

E716
1
Begone, unbelief,
  My Savior is near,
And for my relief
  Will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle,
  And He will perform;
With Christ in the vessel,
  I smile at the storm.
2
Though dark be my way,
  Since He is my Guide,
’Tis mine to obey,
  ’Tis His to provide;
Though cisterns be broken,
  And creatures all fail,
The word He hath spoken
  Shall surely prevail.
3
His love, in time past,
  Forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last
  In trouble to sink:
Each sweet Ebenezer
  I have in review
Confirms His good pleasure
  To help me quite through.
4
Why should I complain
  Of want or distress,
Temptation or pain?
  He told me no less;
The heirs of salvation,
  I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation
  Must follow their Lord.
5
How bitter that cup
  No heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up,
  That sinners might live!
His way was much rougher
  And darker than mine;
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer,
  And shall I repine?
6
Since all that I meet
  Shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet,
  The medicine, food;
Though painful at present,
  ’Twill cease before long,
And then, oh, how pleasant
  The conqueror’s song!
71
Rosie Jarvis

Kettering, Northants, United Kingdom

Jesus had told the disciples to go into the boat but then they experienced frustration, rowing against the wind and tide. Often we start out on something the Lord has directed us into and we hit opposition and get frustrated…. As we welcome him into the situation refreshment comes and what had seemed so hard suddenly is achieved… this has happened to me with a course I’m doing, I was so frustrated and it was going round in my head but then I gave it all to the Lord and suddenly my direction was clear. Sometimes I forget to include him in things I maybe feel competent in… the disciples were seasoned fishermen and boaters but couldn’t do it without the presence of the Lord…this song is like my then tune at this season!!


Ana Lara

Storrs, Connecticut, United States

The Reverend John Newton, author of this hymn was born in London, July 24, 1725. The son of a sea-captain, he became a sailor, and for several years, led a reckless life. Once saved, he became a minister and settled as curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, and later Rector of St. Mary’s of Woolnoth London, where he died, December 21, 1807. It was while living at Olney that he and William Cowper wrote and published the Olney hymns. His defiance to doubt in these lines is the blunt utterance of a sailor rather than the song of a poet:

Begone, unbelief, my Saviour is near,

And for my relief will surely appear.

By prayer let me wrestle and He will perform;

With Christ in the vessel I smile at the storm.

(Brown and Butterworth)


Maame Essie

Konongo, Asante Akyem, Ghana

Beautiful words, just reminding us of the faithfulness of God


Kemisola

Lagos, Nigeria

Each time we go through tough times, it’s always a test of our faith. I’m gonna through a hard time currently then I remember this hymn, I had to search for the whole lyrics and the first 3 verses of stanza 3 got to me

“His love in past times, forbids me to think he’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink”

Thank you Jesus for loving me

This tough time is just a distraction, you are near never ever far because you stay right here with me


Aaron Paul

Narayi Bayan Duste, Kaduna, Nigeria

I am going through a battle at this moment and there is this elements of unbelief in me but then the verses keep addressing me


Pastor D

Lagos, Nigeria

The devil is always testing the limits of our faith but when he makes doubt rears its ugly head, the ever comforting word of God sends it to hell. Thank you Jesus, unbelief will forever begone. Hallelujah.


Rev. Fr. Grant Essuman

Cape Coast, Central, Ghana

This hymn has been my sensational inspiration and motivation in my ministry. I sing it over and over, because I had suffered a lot of set backs and backbiting from people we trusted but Jesus healed me from all the snares of the enemies and kept us moving. Please trust in God and doubt your own doubt for what God cannot do doesn't exist among humanity. Shalom!!


John

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

I love the note of confidence and certainty running through this hymn, for example, ‘He will perform’, ‘the word He has spoken shall surely prevail’, ‘confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through’ etc.


Lois Van Meter

Odessa, Texas, United States

I love this song


Anonymous

What a beautiful song!