Words on Lent (John Wichman)

Every year on Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent I use all or part of an old hymn that didn’t make if from the old “The Hymnal” to the newer “Presbyterian Hymnal”. “I Bow My Forehead to the Dust” by John Greenleaf Whittier, was the late David Ng’s favorite hymn. Dave was, among a lot of other things, a professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary, author of a number of breakthrough books on Christian education and the person who organized, motivated, resourced and “cat herded” the group of scholars that produced the New Revised Standard Version of the bible.  When he was director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at Cameron House Dave lived with his wife Irene in a small apartment down the hall from my family. I was in high school. He turned me on to Miles Davis, Mad Magazine, and this hymn.  May it be a blessing to you in this Lenten season.


I bow my forehead to the dust, 
I veil mine eyes for shame, 
And urge, in trembling self distrust, 
A prayer without a claim. 
No offering of mine own I have, 
Nor works my faith to prove; 
I can but give the gifts He gave, 
And plead His love for love.
I dimly guess, from blessings known, 
Of greater out of sight; 
And, with the chastened psalmist, own 
His judgments too are right. 
And if my heart and flesh are weak 
To bear an untried pain, 
The bruised reed He will not break, 
But strengthen and sustain. 
I know not what the future hath 
Of marvel or surprise, 
Assured alone that life and death 
His mercy underlies. 
and so beside the silent sea 
I wait the muffled oar; 
No harm from Him can come to me 
On ocean or on shore.
I know not where His islands lift 
Their fronded palms in air; 
I only know I cannot drift 
Beyond His love and care; 
And Thou, O Lord, by Whom are seen 
Thy creatures as they be, 
Forgive me if too close I lean 
My human heart on Thee.

Thanks Dave. God’s Peace, Rev. John Wichman