Text: Galatians 2. Hymn: 745, In God, My Faithful God.
A special shout out to Pr. Todd Peperkorn, who has published a book on depression and pastoral care entitled, I Trust When Dark My Road. I have yet to read the book myself, but it has garnered much attention and is likely worth your time.
Lots of good stuff in Galatians 2: Paul’s doctrinal comparison with the Christians in Jerusalem, Paul’s calling out of Peter for hypocrisy, and the beginning of the doctrine of justification by faith alone that blooms into Galatians 3.
I don’t recall singing this tune with near the frequency of most of the German hymns. It needs a comeback. It manages to be emotional and descriptive about the singer while focusing on Christ; in this way it’s like reading Johann Gerhard.
One major difference (and there are many more) between this hymn and a pop-Christian song can be found in the final verse.
The pop-Christian song might only include the middle line:
Dear Lord, we all adore You,
We sing for joy before You.
In context of the storms of life and the grace of Jesus, though, we see there is much more to this hymn.
In God, my faithful God,
I trust when dark the road;
Great woes may overtake me,
Yet he will not forsake me.
My troubles He can alter;
His hand lets nothing falter.
“So be it,” then, I say
With all my heart each day.
Dear Lord, we all adore You,
We sing for joy before You.
Guide us while here we wander
Until we praise You yonder.