Beauty for Ashes

I sing the love of God

my Fa­ther

Whose Spir­it abides with­in

Who chang­es all my grief to glad­ness

And par­dons me all my sin.

Though clouds may lo­wer

dark and drea­ry

Yet He has pro­mised to be near;

He gives me sun­shine for my sha­dow

And beau­ty for ash­es here.

He gives me joy in place of sor­row;

He gives me love that casts out fear;

He gives me sun­shine for my sha­dow

And beauty for ash­es here.

I sing the love of God

my Sav­ior

Who suf­fered upon the tree

That

in the sec­ret of His pre­sence

My bond­age might free­dom be.

He comes to bind the brok­en­heart­ed;

He comes the faint­ing soul to cheer;

He gives me oil of joy for mourn­ing

And beau­ty for ash­es here.

I sing the beau­ty of the Gos­pel

That scat­ters

not thorns

but flow­ers

That bids me scat­ter smiles and sun­beams

Wherever are lone­ly hours.

The gar­ment of His praise it of­fers

For hea­vi­ness of spir­it drear;

It gives me sun­shine for my sha­dow

And beau­ty for ash­es here.