and place your confidence in him,
you'll find him always there beside you
to give you hope and strength within;
for those who trust God's changeless love
build on the rock that will not move.
2. Only be still and wait his pleasure
in cheerful hope with heart content.
He fills your needs to fullest measure
with what discerning love has sent;
doubt not our inmost wants are known
to him who chose us for his own.
3. Sing, pray, and keep his ways unswerving,
offer your service faithfully,
and trust his word; though undeserving,
you'll find his promise true to be.
God never will forsake in need
the soul that trusts in him indeed.
The hymn "If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee" has a deeply meaningful origin rooted in the life of its author, Georg Neumark (1621–1681), a German poet and hymn writer. Written during a time of great personal hardship, the hymn reflects profound trust in God’s providence amid uncertainty and suffering.
In 1641, while still a young man, Neumark was traveling to Königsberg (in present-day Kaliningrad) to study law. On the journey, he was robbed of all his possessions by bandits and left nearly destitute in a foreign land. Stranded, alone, and unable to pursue his education, he spent several years wandering and looking for work. During this difficult period, he held on to his faith, praying for deliverance and sustenance.
Eventually, in 1643, his prayers were answered when he found employment as a tutor for a family in the city of Kiel. Overwhelmed with gratitude and a renewed sense of hope, Neumark wrote the hymn “Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten”, which translates to "If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee." It was his personal testimony of God’s faithfulness in times of trial and became one of the most beloved German hymns of the 17th century.
The hymn encourages believers to patiently trust God’s timing and sovereign care, even when His purposes are hidden or difficult to understand. The text is filled with quiet strength, urging the soul to be still and wait upon the Lord. Its message has resonated with countless people facing trials, offering comfort and assurance that God’s way, though mysterious, is always good.
The hymn was later translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in the 19th century, whose work introduced many German hymns to the English-speaking world. Her translation preserved the depth and lyrical beauty of Neumark’s original, helping the hymn gain popularity in English-speaking churches as well.
Today, "If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee" remains a timeless expression of faithful surrender to God’s will, born from one man’s real-life experience of loss, waiting, and eventual deliverance.
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