STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS
Sometimes a light surprises Joy and peace in believing
William Cowper printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book III, no. 48, under Matthew 6:34.
WRITTEN BY
William Cowper 1731–1800
PRINTED
1779 Olney Hymns · no. 48
METRE
7.6.7.6 4 stanzas
IN HYMNALS
424 listed at Hymnary.org
The hymn, and the Scripture in it
All 4 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
Sometimes a light surprises
The christian while he sings;
It is the LORD who rises
With healing in his wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining
To cheer it after rain.
Where Cowper found it
Cowper printed the hymn under Matthew 6:34. The line that comes closest to it is marked.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. MATTHEW 6:34 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ MATTHEW 6
In holy contemplation, We sweetly then pursue The theme of God’s salvation, And find it ever new: Set free from present sorrow, We cheerfully can say, E’en let th’ unknown tomorrow, Bring with it what it may. STANZA II
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 48. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.
NO. 48 · WILLIAM COWPER · THIS HYMN Sometimes a light surprises
Where hymnals place it
Printed hymnals list, for each hymn, the Bible passages it goes with, so a church can choose a hymn for the day's reading. Gathered from the hymnals Hymnary.org catalogues, editors have tied this hymn to 4 passages in 4 books. One square is one passage; a ringed square is one the hymn's own lines echo. Point at a square to read it; click to open it beside the page.
2 Samuel 1
Psalms 1
Habakkuk 1
Malachi 1
2 SAMUEL 23:4–5ECHOED IN STANZA I
4is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’ 5Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?
a passage hymnals tie it to one its lines echo (3)
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