Do not worry for your life,
What you’ll eat or drink or wear;
Is not life much more important
Than these things that cause you care?
See the birds—they sow and reap not,
Nor in barns do store away.
Yet your heav’nly Father feeds them;
Have you not more worth than they?

And why worry about clothing?
See the lilies’ glad array;
Solomon in all his splendor
Never dressed as fine as they.
This is how God clothes the grasses,
Though their life is but a day.
Will He not much more meet your needs?
Let your faith not fade away.

So I tell you, do not worry,
Asking what you’ll eat or drink.
Nor be anxious about clothing—
These are things that all men seek.
And your Father knows you need them;
Worry won’t command His power.
Which of you by constant fretting
Adds to life a single hour?

Seek first, then, your Father’s kingdom
And His righteousness on high.
All these things will then be given;
God will not neglect your cry.
So fret not about tomorrow;
God directs the future, too.
Though each day will bring its troubles,
Trust in Him—He’ll see you through.

There’s not a bird with lonely nest,
In pathless wood or mountain crest,
Nor meaner thing, which does not share,
O God, in Thy paternal care.

Each barren crag, each desert rude,
Holds Thee within its solitude;
And Thou dost bless the wand’rer there,
Who makes his solitary prayer.

In busy mart and crowded street,
No less than in the still retreat,
Thou, Lord, art near, our souls to bless
With all a parent’s tenderness.

And we, where’er our lot is cast,
While life, and thought, and feeling last,
Through all the years, in every place,
Will bless Thee for Thy boundless grace.

Spring has now unwrapped the flowers, day is fast reviving,
Life in all her growing powers towards the light is striving:
Gone the iron touch of cold, winter time and frost time,
Seedlings, working through the mould, now make up for lost time.

Herb and plant that, winter long, slumbered at their leisure,
Now bestirring, green and strong, find in growth their pleasure;
All the world with beauty fills, gold the green enhancing,
Flowers make glee among the hills, set the meadows dancing.

Through each wonder of fair days God Himself expresses;
Beauty follows all His ways, as the world He blesses:
So, as He renews the earth, Artist without rival,
In His grace of glad new birth we must seek revival.

Earth puts on her dress of glee; flowers and grasses hide her;
We go forth in charity—brothers all beside her;
For, as man this glory sees in th’awakening season,
Reason learns the heart’s decrees, hearts are led by reason.

Praise the Maker, all ye saints; He with glory girt you,
He Who skies and meadows paints fashioned all your virtue;
Praise Him, seers, heroes, kings, heralds of perfection;
Brothers, praise Him, for He brings all to resurrection!

The little cares which fretted me,
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields, above the sea,
Among the winds at play;
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what may come,
I cast them all away
Among the clover scented grass,
Among the new mown hay;
Among the hushing of the corn,
Where drowsing poppies nod,
Ill thoughts can die, and good be born,
Out in the fields of God.

Seek ye first the kingdom; not the things of earth.
Priceless are the treasures of immortal worth.
Like a flitting shadow, time will pass away,
But the heav’nly riches change not, nor decay.

Refrain

“Seek ye first the kingdom,” ’tis the Master’s voice;
In His precious promise evermore rejoice.
“All things else,” His words are true, “shall be added unto you.”
In His precious promise, evermore rejoice.

Seek ye first the kingdom; seek the gift of God.
’Tis the Savior’s offer purchased by His blood.
Seek ye first His glory; be it life’s sweet aim;
Him to serve and honor, trusting in His Name.

Refrain

Take not thought for food or raiment,
Careful one, so anxiously;
For the King Himself provideth
Food and clothes for thee.

He Who daily feeds the sparrows,
He Who clothes the lilies bright,
More than birds and flowers holds thee
Precious in His sight.

Would’st thou give a stone, a serpent,
To Thy pleading child for food?
And shall not thy Heavenly Father
Give thee what is good?

On the heart that careth for thee
Rest thou then from sorrow free;
For of all most tender fathers
None so good as He.

Seek thou first His gracious promise,
Treasure stored in Heav’n above;
So thou may’st entrust all other
Safely to His love.

Unto Thee, O bounteous Father,
Glory, honor, praise be done;
With the Son and Holy Spirit,
God for ever One.

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with its light.
Hark! the sweet voice of the Master
Whispers in accents divine,
“Take thou no thought for the morrow,
Only the present is thine.”

Refrain

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with its light.

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Falling in waves from the skies,
Gilding the streams and the valleys,
Scatt’ring the shadows that rise.
Hear the sweet voice of the Spirit
Softly and tenderly say,
“Trust for what may be tomorrow,
Live in the joy of today.”

Refrain

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Jesus thy footsteps will guide;
While thou art safe in His keeping,
Evil can never betide.
Hear the sweet voice of His mercy
Kindly and lovingly say,
“God will take care of the morrow,
Be thou content with today.”

Refrain

Lord, for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
Keep me, my God, from stain of sin just for today.
Help me to labor earnestly and duly pray;
Let me be kind in word and deed, Father, today.

Let me no wrong or idle word unthinking say;
Set Thou a seal upon my lips through all today.
Let me in season, Lord, be grave, in season gay;
Let me be faithful to Thy grace, dear Lord, today.

And if, today, this life of mine should ebb away,
Give me Thy sacrament divine, Father, today.
So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
Still keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, through each day.

When the shadows thickly gather,
Clouding all thy onward way,
Think not what shall be tomorrow;
Seek God’s help just for today.

Refrain

Step by step He leads me onward,
Step by step the way reveals;
But what in the future lieth,
In His mercy He conceals.

Should the coming days bring burdens,
Or be fraught with grief or care,
Trust Him in the hour of trial,
He will make thee strong to bear.

Refrain

Daily strength He ever giveth,
For each day rich grace bestows;
And each morrow, as it dawneth,
Still His lovingkindness shows.

Refrain

Then why should we shrink or falter
When the onward path looks dim,
Knowing light will never fail us
While we walk by faith with Him?

Refrain