If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee

It's not the Hymn of the Day for the Feast of St. Joseph, but what a perfectly appropriate hymn for this festival day. It artfully confesses the quiet faith and humble obedience of that faithful son of David, the mercifully righteous husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Without a word of question or complaint, he rises to do according to the Word of the Lord. It was surely not the life that he had anticipated, looked forward to, planned and prepared for; yet, he was not dissuaded from his calling to serve his bride and her Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. What a marvelous example for us, as the Lord's saints are set before us to be. And, again, how nicely this hymn, "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee" (LSB 750), articulates the example we find in St. Joseph:

If thou but trust in God to guide thee
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These neverceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

Be patient and await His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And His discerning love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

God knows full well when times of gladness
Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

Nor think amid the fiery trial
That God hath cast thee off onheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred.
Time passes and much change doth bring
And sets a bound to ev'rything.

All are alike before the Highest;
'Tis easy for our God, we know,
To raise thee up, though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low.
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
Perform thy duties faithfully,
And trust His Word; though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook in need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Thanks be to God for His steafast, faithful servant, St. Joseph. According to his human office and vocation as a husband and father, he guarded and guided our Lord Jesus Christ in the frailities of His childhood. Not David the king, but his son, Joseph the carpenter, thus built a house for God, that we too might become children and heirs of the Most High; through Christ, our Lord.