Today’s hymn is written by Edith Cherry (1872-1897). Edith suffered from polio most of her life and later died from a stroke at the young age of twenty-five years old. Being a talented illustrator and poet, whilst serving the Lord even in her illness, on her death bed she wished (as we all do) that she had done more for Christ. One hymn in particular she wrote was the favourite among the missionaries to the Huaorani (known as Auca) tribe in the Ecuadorian jungle, with Jim and Elisabeth Elliot being among them. On the morning they hoped to meet the Auca’s face-to-face, Elisabeth later wrote, “at the close of their prayers the five men sang one of their favourite hymns, We Rest on Thee to the stirring tune of Finlandia [the same tune of Be Still, My Soul]. Jim and Ed had sung this hymn since college days and knew the verses by heart.” This hymn that had comforted and emboldened them on that morning, was the same morning that led to a series of events where the Auca tribe finally heard the gospel¹. As this story shows us, we do not know what fruit the Lord will bring about from our work, as Edith didn’t know — all we can do is be faithful with what we have and pray that God’s will shall be done. Enjoy the version below to the same tune.

We rest on Thee our shield and our defender
We go not forth alone against the foe
Strong in Thy strength safe in Thy keeping tender
We rest on Thee and in Thy name we go
Strong in Thy strength safe in Thy keeping tender
We rest on Thee and in Thy name we go

Yes in Thy name O Captain of salvation
In Thy dear name all other names above
Jesus our Righteousness our sure Foundation
Our Prince of glory and our King of love
Jesus our Righteousness our sure Foundation
Our Prince of glory and our King of love

We go in faith our own great weakness feeling
And needing more each day Thy grace to know
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing
We rest on Thee and in Thy name we go
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing
We rest on Thee and in Thy name we go

We rest on Thee our Shield and our Defender
Thine is the battle Thine shall be the praise
When passing through the gates of pearly splendour
Victors we rest with Thee through endless days
When passing through the gates of pearly splendour
Victors we rest with Thee through endless days

¹hymnsillustrated.com/blog/hymn-of-the-month-we-rest-on-thee

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