Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
however dark it be;
lead me by thine own hand,
choose out the path for me.
however dark it be;
lead me by thine own hand,
choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
it will be still the best;
winding or straight, it leads
right onward to thy rest.
I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
choose thou for me, my God,
so I shall walk aright.
The kingdom that I seek
is thine; so let the way
that leads to it be thine,
else I must surely stray.
Take thou my cup, and it
with joy or sorrow fill,
as best to thee may seem;
choose thou my good and ill.
Choose thou for me my friends,
my sickness or my health;
choose thou my cares for me
my poverty or wealth.
Not mine, not mine the choice
in things or great or small;
be thou my Guide, my Strength
my wisdom and my all.
Words: Horatius Bonar, 1857