STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

’Tis my happiness below Welcome cross

William Cowper printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book III, no. 16, under Hebrews 12:8.

WRITTEN BY

William Cowper 1731–1800

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 16

METRE

7.7.7.7 3 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Hebrews 12:8 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 3 stanzas as Cowper printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

’Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross;

But the Savior’s pow’r to know,

Sanctifying every loss:

Trials must and will befall;

But with humble faith to see

Love inscribed upon them all,

This is happiness to me.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

Where Cowper found it

Cowper printed the hymn under Hebrews 12:8. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. HEBREWS 12:8 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ HEBREWS 12

Did I meet no trials here, No chastisement by the way; Might I not, with reason, fear I should prove a cast–away: Bastards may escape the rod, Sunk in earthly, vain delight; But the true–born child of GOD, Must not, would not, if he might. STANZA III

Its place in the book

Book III of the hymn book, “On the progress and changes of the spiritual life”, holds these hymns in this order: 106 hymns. This is number 16. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 16 · WILLIAM COWPER · THIS HYMN ’Tis my happiness below

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