Skip to content

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart

Book 1, Hymn 63 · John Newton · Public-domain words

The words

  1. Stanza 1. Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,Hear what CHRIST the Savior says;Every word should joy impart,Change thy mourning into praise:Yes, he speaks, and speaks to thee,May he help thee to believe!Then thou presently wilt see,Thou hast little cause to grieve.

  2. Stanza 2. “Fear thou not, nor be ashamed,All thy sorrows soon shall endI who heav’n and earth have framed,Am thy husband and thy friendI the High and Holy One,Israel’s GOD by all adored;As thy Savior will be known,Thy Redeemer and thy Lord.

  3. Stanza 3. For a moment I withdrew,And thy heart was filled with pain;But my mercies I’ll renew,Thou shalt soon rejoice again:Though I scorn to hide my face,Very soon my wrath shall cease;’Tis but for a moment’s space,Ending in eternal peace.

  4. Stanza 4. When my peaceful bow appearsPainted on the wat’ry cloud;’Tis to dissipate thy fears,Lest the earth should be o’erflowed:’Tis an emblem too of grace,Of my cov’nant love a sign;Though the mountains leave their place,Thou shalt be for ever mine.

  5. Stanza 5. Though afflicted, tempest–tossed,Comfortless awhile thou art,Do not think thou canst be lost,Thou art graven on my heartAll thy walls I will repair,Thou shalt be rebuilt anew;And in thee it shall appear,What a God of love can do.

Olney Hymns (1779), Book 1, Hymn 63. John Newton. Public domain. CCEL transcription with modernized spelling. www.praylock.com/olney-hymns/1-63

About these words

John Newton lived from 1725 to 1807. These historical words are public domain.

This hymn belongs to the complete three-book collection first published in 1779.

The CCEL transcription modernizes spelling and some punctuation. Read this hymn at the source. Checked 23 October 2026.

No sheet music or recordings are included. This web collection is separate from the PrayLock iPhone app.

Begin with prayer.

Choose the apps that take your attention, and put prayer before them. PrayLock requires a Pro subscription.

Download on theApp Store
QR code linking to PrayLock on the App Store

On a computer? Scan with your iPhone camera to open PrayLock on the App Store.