O God Of Bethel
O God of Bethel
O God of Bethel, by whose hand
Thy people still are fed,
Who through this earthly pilgrimage
Hast all our fathers led.
Our vows, our prayers, we now present
Before Thy throne of grace;
God of our fathers, be the God
Of their succeeding race.
Through each perplexing path of life
Our wand’ring footsteps guide;
Give us each day our daily bread,
And raiment fit provide.
O spread Thy cov’ring wings around,
Till all our wand’rings cease,
And at our Father’s loved abode
Our souls arrive in peace.
ON JANUARY 16, 1737, Philip Doddridge preached a sermon about Jacob at Bethel. After the message, he taught the congregation this hymn, which he had just written.
Born in a humble London home, Doddridge always remembered the Bible stories that his parents had taught him. Scenes of Bible history were pictured on the blue-and-white delft tiles lining the fireplace. One depicted the Garden of Eden with Eve and the forbidden fruit; another, Noah at the window of the ark; another, Jonah and the whale; and another, Peter crossing the sea of Galilee (in a Dutch three-decker).
Doddridge always liked songs and pictures and stories more than systematic theology. It was a controversial age when theologians were arguing about fine points of doctrine. But Doddridge preferred to seize the simple truths of Scripture and to present them in ways that everyone could understand.
I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
Psalm 121:1-4
From the book
