This encouraging song is one of many written by a person who overcame a noteworthy personal physical limit and, among other things, developed a wonderful capacity and platform to encourage others in the Lord. Please give her song a sing-along listen and come back to get better acquainted with a remarkable sister in Christ who was kin to Bing Crosby and who lived most of her 94 years in the 1800’s.

Prolific

According to Wikipedia “Frances Jane Crosby van Alstyne (March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny J. Crosby, was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. In her 94 years, she was a prolific hymnist, writing more than 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, with more than 100 million copies printed. She is also known for her teaching and her rescue mission work. By the end of the 19th century, she was a household name.

Though she met and even shared the stage with US presidents, governors and generals, it is as a writer of Sunday-school songs and gospel hymns that she is known wherever the English language is spoken, and, in fact, wherever any other language is heard.

Crosby was known as the “Queen of Gospel Song Writers” and as the “Mother of modern congregational singing in America”, with most American hymnals containing her work. Her gospel songs were “paradigmatic of all revival music”, and Ira Sankey attributed the success of the Moody and Sankey evangelical campaigns largely to Crosby’s hymns. Some of Crosby’s best-known songs include “Blessed Assurance”, “Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home”, “Praise Him, Praise Him”, and “To God Be the Glory”. Some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, so Crosby used nearly 200 different pseudonyms during her career.

Crosby also wrote more than 1,000 secular poems and had four books of poetry published, as well as two best-selling autobiographies. Additionally, she co-wrote popular secular songs, as well as political and patriotic songs and at least five cantatas on biblical and patriotic themes, including The Flower Queen, the first secular cantata by an American composer. She was committed to Christian rescue missions and was known for her public speaking.

She was related to Pilgrims from the Mayflower, one of Harvard’s founders, and even Bing Crosby.

(Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Crosby )

Handicap?

Fanny Crosby became blind at the age of six weeks, possibly from maltreatment of her eyes during a spell of sickness. Her family saw to it that she received a good education, and she went on to become a teacher.

How can we account for her amazing productivity and success? The Hymnary.org bio on her (see https://hymnary.org/person/Crosby_Fanny ) says, “She was always ready either to sympathize or join in a mirthful conversation, as the case may be. The secret of this contentment dates from her first composition at the age of eight years. “It has been the motto of my life,” she says. It is:
“O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be;”

This continued to be her philosophy. She said that had it not been for her affliction she might not have had so good an education, nor so great an influence, and certainly not so fine a memory. She knew a great many portions of the Bible by heart, and had committed to memory the first four books of the Old Testament, and also the four Gospels before she was ten years of age.

Her scope of subjects is wide, embracing everything from a contemplation of heaven, to an appeal to the work of this world.”

A song, a testimony

Sometime in the first century Peter wrote “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” [NKJV] I’m not certain what year Fanny Crosby wrote the lyrics in our song, but I see it was published in 1890. So certainly by the time Ms. Crosby was 70 years old, she had become convinced of the truth in what Peter said, and could beautifully say it song — “God will take care of you.”

God bless you lots!
-Dale R.

---

Download this song sheet

Lyrics – God Will Take Care Of You
Text: Fanny J. Crosby
Tune: Ira David Sankey, 1890

1. God will take care of you, be not afraid;
He is your safeguard through sunshine and shade;
Tenderly watching and keeping His own,
He will not leave you to wander alone.

Chorus:
God will take care of you still to the end;
Oh, what a Father, Redeemer, and Friend!
Jesus will answer whenever you call;
He will take care of you, trust Him for all.

2. God will take care of you, through all the day,
Shielding your footsteps, directing your way;
He is your shepherd, protector, and guide,
Leading His children where still waters glide.

3. God will take care of you long as you live,
Granting you blessings no other can give;
He will take care of you when time is past,
Safe to His kingdom will bring you at last.

Let’s stay in touch

Each time I post a new song and lesson here I send a brief, cheerful note to friends of this song site. The note gives a quick description of the song and lesson along with a link to the new song’s page. It is super-easy for you to get a note from me, too. Just click the green “Song of the Week” button below and you are almost there.

To sweeten the deal, you will also get instant access to the “Music Box” where I put all the free resources and downloads that go along with these song pages. Check it out now! Good stuff. (Side note — I still post announcements on social media, too, even though I have learned it is terribly unreliable at getting the message out and keeping us connected. Email gets that job done where social media fails. We do well to connect this way, and avoid getting throttled by social media.)

Song of the Week

Share your wisdom with other readers ...

Please feel free to add your thoughts to this conversation in the “Leave a reply” spot below.