Beautiful New Tune to "A Sweet and Pleasant Providence" by @bourquejeff at @ThousandTongues

You can now listen to a new tune by Jeff Bourque (Congregational Songs) to "A Sweet and Pleasant Providence," my hymn text based on the book of Ruth.

As always, lead sheets, chord charts, and PowerPoint charts are available for free download.

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{sermon} Ruth 4:13-22 — The Lord is Sovereign and Kind: Do Not Fear, For the Best is Yet to Come

My final sermon as pastor of Northbrook Baptist. I love this church.

Audio here.

{sermon} Ruth 2 – The Lord’s Kindness: Forgotten and Freeing

Audio here.

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{sermon} Ruth 1 – The Lord is Merciful and Mighty

Audio here.

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Hymn Text: A Sweet and Pleasant Providence

We're having a brother from The Voice of the Martyrs speak on the persecuted church during our evening service this Sunday. While planning for that service, I was looking through some hymns on suffering and came across this text that I wrote several years ago.

The tune is "Carol," to which we typically sing the Christmas song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (click the link to hear an audio sample of the tune). The text is based upon the book of Ruth.

A Sweet and Pleasant Providence

Events that seem unfortunate
May often line the way
That God has paved to guide his saints
To bright and happy days.
Naomi's dismal hopelessness
Was shown to be untrue.
Remember this the next time God
Deals bitterly with you.

In faith let your heart learn to trust
That 'round the corner lies
A sweet and pleasant providence
Designed through sov'reign eyes.
Like Ruth, take refuge in the Lord
And rest beneath His wings,
You do not know what God intends
Nor what his kindness brings.

The cloud is black before it breaks
And dark before it yields
A flood of kindness over you
To bloom your barren field.
So turn your eyes upon the One
That ev'ry good flows from,
For in his great redemptive plan
The best is yet to come!

Tune: Carol
Text: (c) Eric M Schumacher
Permission granted to reprint unaltered text in temporary, nonsalable worship media. For other uses, please contact the author.