A Hymn for a Busy Life

My life is incredibly busy. Later this week I am making an announcement here on my blog which adds another major task to the many that are already my responsibility. I wear so many hats: a husband, a father, an employee, a blogger, a preacher, a leader, and most of all a child of God.

I know I am not alone in all this. We all seem to be determined to accomplish ever more with the time God has allotted to us. Somehow the words of the following hymn are both comforting, strengthening, and faith-giving as I face the many jobs that lie before me each day. May it today similarly lift you. I have taken the original public domain words and made minor changes to update them to modern English.

UPDATE
As the day has gone on, a small number of e-mails have come in. As a result, I have appreciated that updating the language of a hymn is not as easy as I thought. Some of my changes mean that the lines don’t quite have the right rythmn. Perhaps the most controversial was my replacement of the archaic “aye” for “yeah”! Some people don’t approve as they have told me (including my editor, Annette) that I had changed the meaning of the line, which should be “Gladly forever we adore him!” and therefore changed the intent of the author.

For some obscure reason I like “Yeah!” It’s not very traditional sounding, I know, but to me the hymn crescendos to a point where it needs a big bold word like “Yeah!” or “O yes!” there. But what do I know? I never claimed to be a song writer!

Also, there are different versions of this hymn available which add or remove verses. I’d love to know how it was originally written.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is my health and salvation!
Come you who hear
Brothers and sisters, draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, He who prospers my work and defends me;
Surely His goodness and mercy now daily attend me.
Ponder anew
All the Almighty can do,
He who with love does befriend me.

Praise to the Lord, who does nourish my life and restore me;
Fitting me well for the tasks that are ever before me.
Then to my need
He like a mother does speed,
Spreading wings of grace over me.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again:
Gladly for yeah we adore Him.