STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

When my prayers are a burden and task Rejoice the soul of thy servant

John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book III, no. 25, under John 13:25.

WRITTEN BY

John Newton 1725–1807

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 25

METRE

8.8.8.8a 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

John 13:25 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 6 stanzas as Newton 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

When my prayers are a burden and task

When my prayers are a burden and task,

No wonder I little receive;

O LORD, make me willing to ask,

Since thou art so ready to give

Although I am bought with thy blood,

And all thy salvation is mine;

At a distance from thee my chief good,

I wander, and languish, and pine.

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

Where Newton found it

Newton printed the hymn under John 13:25.

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?” JOHN 13:25 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ JOHN 13

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 25. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 25 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN When my prayers are a burden and task

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