Hymn Exegesis: Whate’er My God Ordains is Right
Samuel Rodigast was a German philosophy teacher at the University of Jena in the late 1600s. While the circumstances that led him to write this hymn are not certain, it may be that a sick friend of his asked him to write a song for his funeral. Certainly, the song would serve well to comfort the sick or to comfort the friends and family of a recently departed loved one. But we also have almost as much to thank Catherine Winkworth. Her work translating German hymns into English in the mid-1800s is the reason why any of us have heard of this fantastic hymn.
1 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
his holy will abideth;
I will be still, whate’er he doth,
and follow where he guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road,
he holds me that I shall not fall:
wherefore to him I leave it all.
The original name of the hymn translates literally something like, What God does, He does well. Here the sovereignty of God is magnified. God’s will is holy, that is, set apart to God alone. And so, whatever he does is for God. All that God does then is good and right. Our response, when sanctified, must be to be still, meaning not to argue or be anxious over circumstances, and to continue to follow him. Our road through this life is often dark, but he is our God. He is keeping us from falling.
2. Whate’er my God ordains is right:
he never will deceive me;
he leads me by the proper path;
I know he will not leave me.
I take, content, what he hath sent;
his hand can turn my griefs away,
and patiently I wait his day.
Here the writer turns to pondering that dark road. While others may give us bad directions, intentionally or not, God’s way is always right. And beyond that, God has promised to go with us on this path. God alone has the power to banish our troubles. Since he has seen fit to bring them to us, we can be content, waiting patiently for him to send them away.
3 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
though now this cup, in drinking,
may bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
and pain and sorrow shall depart.
But what if God does not banish our griefs? What if our sick friend dies? Bitter is the cup of God’s will to our taste. Yet, drink it we must in this life. What comfort can we find in this world? “My God is true”. Since he walks beside us on the path, he brings with him sweet comfort. And a day is coming when all pain and sorrow shall depart.
4 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
here shall my stand be taken;
though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
yet am I not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
he holds me that I shall not fall:
and so to him I leave it all.
The last stanza concludes the song with a sense of heroic defiance. Whatever God brings me it is good. Here I stand, I can do no other! Whether it brings sorrow or need or even death, I know it was brought about by God. I am not forsaken. Again, the author affirms that God is holding me so that I cannot fall. He is personally with me his care and love surround me. Whatever my God does, it is right and good.
The hymn’s original tune…leaves something to be desired to modern ears. It’s been reset a couple of times, like the diamond from your great-grandmother’s ring put in a new setting. Here’s one of my favorites.
