This post contains the lyrics from John Newton’s hymn, I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow. Two versions of the hymn are below, a Christian pop version, and a more traditional version of the hymn.
This two-part series is about God’s testing of us as it is explained in scripture.
Newton’s hymn is the core of part one because it contains an error that probably every Christian has made or is still making, seeing afflictions from God’s hand as something that is desirable to escape.
[I assume that Newton knew from experience that such thinking was erroneous, but common.]
In the hymn, he speaks of praying for God’s help to escape. But God answers in ways that cause him more pain because God’s answers frustrate his plans of earthly ease….
The hymn goes on to state part of God’s rationale for the afflictions He sent into Newton’s life: “That thou may’st find your all in Me.”
There is a lot more to the matter that is very useful to understand.
Below, you will find:
- The verses of Newton’s hymn with very brief comments
- Verses from the Bible that indicate God’s rationale for sending His refining fires of affliction into the lives of His children
- Two versions of John Newton’s hymn: country pop and traditional hymnal
- Part 2 will be posted tomorrow and will focus solely on what ‘testing’ means in scripture
Hymn Verses [Verse 3 below, in pink font, states the common error in thinking]:
1- I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith and love and ev’ry grace, Might more of His salvation know And seek more earnestly His face.
2- ’Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And He, I trust has answered prayer, But it has been in such a way As almost drove me to despair.
3- I hoped that in some favored hour At once He’d answer my request And by His love’s constraining pow’r Subdue my sins and give me rest.
4- Instead of this He made me feel The hidden evils of my heart And let the angry pow’rs of hell Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
5- Yea more with His own hand He seemed Intent to aggravate my woe, Crossed all the fair designs I schemed, Humbled my heart, and laid me low.
6- “Lord, why is this,” I, trembling, cried; “Will Thou pursue thy worm to death?” “Tis in this way,” the Lord replied, “I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
7- “These inward trials I employ From self and pride to set you free, And break thy schemes of earthly joy That thou may’st find your all in Me.”
John Newton’s hymn is framed with the human perspective in mind; the following verses are a sample, collected from scripture to show God’s perspective in the same process: His capabilities; purposes; rationale; results….
In the verses below, you will see references to the refiner’s fire, and to the dross, that rises to the surface during the refining process and is scraped off by the refiner to create his end product, pure silver or gold. Such a purified product then becomes useful to Him in His work.
The verses were also categorized in terms of where they fit in the process of refining mentioned above.
(Verses 3 and 4 above are about the painful process, by fire or affliction, that makes the dross rise to the surface so that it can be seen and dealt with by the Holy Spirit and the person who is being refined.)
General verses on the Refiner’s fire; God’s capabilities:
Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
Proverbs 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;
God’s apparent rationale for His refining work:
Isaiah 1:25 I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.
Isa 1:26 And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
Isa 1:27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
Ezekiel 22:18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are dross of silver.
Eze 22:19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
Eze 22:20 As one gathers silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into a furnace, to blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you.
Eze 22:21 I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst of it.
Eze 22:22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you shall be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD; I have poured out my wrath upon you.”
Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Eph 5:27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Beginning of process / encouragement to engage:
Zechariah 13:8 In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.
Zec 13:9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Daniel 11:35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters [of affliction for refinement], I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Core work of refining
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
Value concerning the process; end results of God’s refining work:
Dan 12:10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
Zec 13:9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
Newton’s hymn, video 1: Emily Deloach
Newton’s hymn, video 2: Sovereign Grace Music
Narrative and links that accompanied each video at YouTube:
Video 1:
Emily Deloach from the YouTube site, Indeliblegrace
Feb 24, 2015
Provided to YouTube by TuneCore
I Asked the Lord (Live feat. Emily Deloach) · Indelible Grace Music
The Hymn Sing: Live in Nashville
℗ 2010 Indelible Grace Music
Released on: 2010-12-14
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Video 2:
I Asked The Lord That I Might Grow – Sovereign Grace Music
From the YouTube site, TheCommissioned
Words by John Newton (1779). Music: traditional. Public Domain. For more information about the song, visit https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music…
T4G Live II [Official Lyric Video]
Featured Image: The World’s largest Precious Metals Refineries bullionstar.com