All Your Anxiety

Life can be hard at times and full of various concerns. Just this week I heard of a dear friend who had lost another baby. Sorrow. Weighed down. Burdens. It is in these times that the lyrics of this song remind you of where to go and what to do about it. All Your Anxiety and all your cares can be taken to God and left there. Possibly today, you or someone you know, may need this very reminder.

In the theology section below, I review a few key verses that correspond to this century old hymn. Enjoy this beautiful hymn!

All Your Anxiety Lyrics

The Theology

Inside the rich lyrics of this song, you can hear the truth from at least four key passages:

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. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34)

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

The Author and Composer

Edward H. Joy, author

Edward Joy was born in November 1871, in Canterbury, Kent, England, and died in February 1949 back in England. Between these two dates, he served in many places as part of the Salvation Army (SA). Joy joined the SA in Canterbury, then played in the band at Folkestone, and became an SA officer in 1894. He went on serve the SA Corps at Tunstall, then the SA International headquarters in 1917, where he was Under Secretary in the Foreign Office. After 1919, he served as Immigration Secretary in western Canada, and in 1932 became editor-in-chief of The War Cry in South Africa. He rose to the rank of SA colonel, and retired in 1938. He is the author of several hymns, including this one, All Your Anxiety.[3]

When you think about the fact that he wrote this song in 1929, he understood cares. He had lived through World War 1 and the world’s tough economic conditions that followed. Although not much is known about his particular circumstances, we do understand as an active officer in the Salvation Army that he had seen many things that would produce care and potentially anxiety.

 

Enjoy This Media

Some groups singing the song from YouTube:

This version is an a cappella duet.

Here is a very simple but sweet version of the song from a youth orchestra in Nigeria.

Classic congregational singing of all verses.

Here is the earliest published copy of the song from Favorites #2: A Collection of Gospel Songs, song #92 from 1946 [4]:

 

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