He Healeth Me

He healeth me, O blessed truth,
His mighty Word renews my youth,
By His own power from sickness free,
My precious Savior healeth me.

Chorus:
He healeth me, He healeth me,
By His own Word He healeth me;
His faithful witness I would be,
For by His Word He healeth me.

Sometimes through testing times I go,
Dark seems the way, and full of woe.
But in the furnace though I be,
My great Physician healeth me.

Lord, I would spread this truth abroad,
The mighty power of Thy Word;
It’s just the same, the blind now see,
and demons at Thy presence flee.

For sin and sickness doth depart,
When Thou dost reign within the heart;
And I from all the curse am free
Since Christ, my Savior, healeth me.

This particular hymn is rather unique.  I found it in an old hymnal as an “add-on” to the bottom of a fairly familiar hymn “He leadeth me – O blessed thought.”  The tune is exactly the same, but there is no author attribution in the hymnal I have, nor could I find anything about it online.  I like the concept of these hymns because they are reminders that God takes different roles in our lives.  He leads and He heals.  We could also write hymns entitled “He loveth me” or “He chastened me” or “He protecteth me” because these, too, represent aspects of God’s character and His involvement in our lives.  He shows Himself to us in a variety of ways, and these two hymns provide just a couple of examples of those roles.  I also like these two hymns because they make a statement of faith about God’s character, but then the hymns expound on what exactly that means.  In the hymn “He Leadeth me” the author reminds that sometimes He leads by “waters still, or troubled seas.”  This hymn too has some lines worth commenting on:

• “Sometimes through testing times I go” – Proverbs 17:3 says “The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.”  Unfortunately, Christians tends to grow more when we are tested through difficult situations.  “Ease” and “Plenty” are states where we tend to become self-reliant.  Testing through difficulties produces the kind of character that God wants all of us to have.

• “It’s just the same, the blind now see” – One of the great miracles of Jesus was restoring sight to the blind.  The Bible records this happening on several occasions.  But this hymn reminds us of a truth from both a physical and spiritual perspective.  Yes, I believe God still restores sight to the blind today.  He is still the same and can open blind physical eyes.  But I am reminded of the line in “Amazing Grace” that says “was blind, but now I see.”  We were all spiritual blind until Christ came into our hearts.  He saved us and opened our blinded eyes.  He is still the same and is still opening blinded eyes, both physical and spiritual.

Finally, in verse 2 of this song, the author references one of my favorite Bible stories.  The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or “A billy goat” as I called him when I was a child) in the fiery furnace.  This is a great story of God’s miraculous power, but what I find interesting about this story is the statement of faith by these three Hebrews.  In response to King Nebuchadnezzer’s threat to throw them in the fiery furnace, these three young men responded “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”  Daniel 3:16-18.

How do you view that last statement – “But even if”?  Is it a statement of doubt, or were these young men making a statement of faith?  I believe they were men of faith.  Their “but even if he does not” statement doesn’t indicate to me a lack of faith.  On the contrary, I believe it shows a true understanding of the sovereignty of God.  The same is true as it relates to the subject of healing.  I believe that God can and does heal.  I believe God performed miracles in the Old Testament.  I believe Jesus performed great miracles while walking on earth.  And I believe He can do the miraculous today.  But I also believe that if He doesn’t, it doesn’t mean that God is not who He said He is.  It doesn’t mean He loves someone any more or less.  It doesn’t alter the character or nature of God.  It just means that He is sovereign, and knows infinitely more than I can grasp or think about a particular situation.

I am grateful that I can echo the words of this hymn “He healeth me.”  I know that He has, am confident that He does, and have faith that He will.  “But even if he does not,” I choose to trust in His character, His sovereignty and His love.