My times are in your hand

Authors:
Themes:
Scriptures:
  • Genesis 39:20-23
  • Genesis 50:19-20
  • 1 Chronicles 29:30
  • Psalms 16:11
  • Psalms 31:5
  • Psalms 31:14-15
  • Daniel 2:21
  • Matthew 6:31-34
  • Luke 24:40
  • Luke 24:50
  • John 20:20
  • Acts 7:59
  • 1 Corinthians 2:2
  • Ephesians 2:6-7
  • 2 Timothy 2:12
  • Hebrews 12:7
Book Number:
  • 765

My times are in your hand;
my God, I wish them there!
My life, my friends, my soul, I leave
entirely to your care.

2. My times are in your hand
whatever they may be,
pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
as you know best for me.

3. My times are in your hand;
why should I doubt or fear?
A father’s hand will never cause
his child a needless tear.

4. My times are in your hand,
Jesus, the crucified;
those hands my cruel sins had pierced
are now my guard and guide.

5. My times are in your hand;
such faith you give to me
that after death, at your right hand
I shall for ever be.

William F Lloyd 1791-1853

The Christian Life - Submission and Trust

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Tune

  • Swabia
    Swabia
    Metre:
    • SM (Short Metre: 66 86)
    Composer:
    • Spiess's Davids Harpffen-Spiel, Heidelberg (1745)

The story behind the hymn

Psalm 31:15 provides the first line of each stz of William Lloyd’s hymn, which more than most exemplifies the title of this section, ‘Submission and Trust’—although (or because?) the original context was one of great danger, grief, opposition and strife. With a title ‘Resignation’, it was published in the author’s Hymns for the Poor of the Flock in 1838, and probably written 3 years earlier. Two changes have been made; 2.4 was ‘as best may seem to thee’ and 5.2, ‘I’ll always trust in thee’.

The tune SWABIA (used 3 times in CH but not for this hymn) was set to J M Spiess’s Ach wachet! wachet auf! in David’s Harpffen Spiel in 1745. Some have traced it to a work nearly 2 cents earlier, published by G Hayn in Nuremburg, 1553. Wm H Havergal’s version, now in common use, dates from his 1847 Old Church Psalmody. Its name has not been explained.

A look at the author

Lloyd, William Freeman

b Uley, nr Dursley, Glos 1791, d Stanley Hall, Kings Stanley, nr Stroud, Glos 1853. He was employed as a teacher in Oxford, then in London, before becoming a Secretary of the (National) Sunday School Union in 1810. His work then involved the preparation of a wide range of teaching and training material, including the Sunday School Teachers’ Magazine which he founded and edited, the Child’s Companion, the Weekly Visitor and several books. He supported the Religious Tract Soc from 1816 and was at one time (certainly in 1824) one of its officials; his verse was published as Thoughts in Rhyme, 1853. No.765.