Charles Wesley - But Who Sufficient Is To Lead Lyrics
Lyrics
1 BUT who sufficient is to lead
And execute the vast design?
How can our arduous toil succeed,
When earth and hell their forces join
The meanest instruments to o'erthrow
Which thou hast ever used below?
2 Mountains, alas! on mountains rise,
To make our utmost efforts vain;
The work our feeble strength defies,
And all the helps and hopes of man;
Our utter impotence we see;
But nothing is too hard for thee.
3 The things impossible to men
Thou canst for thine own people do:
Thy strength be in our weakness seen;
Thy wisdom in our folly show!
Prevent, accompany, and bless,
And crown the whole with full success.
4 Unless the power of heavenly grace,
The wisdom of the Deity,
Direct and govern all our ways,
And all our works be wrought in thee,
Our blighted works we know shall fail,
And earth and hell at last prevail.
5 But, O almighty God of love,
Into thy hands the matter take!
The mountain-obstacles remove,
For thy own truth and mercy's sake;
Fulfil in ours thy own design,
And prove the work entirely thine.
Video
Ye Servants Of God - Charles Wesley (hymn)
Meaning & Inspiration
Charles Wesley's "But Who Sufficient Is To Lead," though not a standalone track released on a specific date but rather a treasured hymn found within collections like "Ye Servants Of God" (released 2011-05-17), stands as a profound exploration of human frailty and divine sufficiency, a cornerstone of Christian contemplation on God’s providential care. The genesis of this hymn lies in Wesley’s deep theological understanding, rooted in his fervent Methodist beliefs and his extensive engagement with Scripture. It grapples with the monumental task of carrying out God's will in a fallen world, a mission often seemingly insurmountable by human means. Wesley poses a direct, almost agonizing question in the opening stanza: who is truly capable of leading and executing God’s grand design when faced with the combined opposition of earthly powers and infernal forces? This initial query sets the stage for a powerful declaration of dependence on a higher power, reflecting a recurring theme throughout the Psalms, such as Psalm 121, which assures us that our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
The hymn artfully progresses from acknowledging the overwhelming nature of spiritual warfare and the limitations of human strength, as detailed in stanza two. Wesley paints vivid imagery of "mountains, alas! on mountains rise," a testament to the seemingly impossible challenges that confront believers and the church. This echoes the prophet Isaiah's lamentations and pronouncements, particularly in Isaiah 40:3-4, where the voice crying in the wilderness calls to prepare the way of the Lord by making straight in the desert a highway for our God, highlighting the need for divine intervention to overcome natural and spiritual obstacles. The hymn’s central message, however, is not one of despair but of profound trust. It pivots to a declaration of God's absolute power and ability to accomplish what is impossible for humanity, a concept beautifully captured in Matthew 19:26 where Jesus states, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." The hymn then becomes a prayer for God’s strength and wisdom to be manifest in our weakness and folly, a plea for divine guidance and blessing to ensure the success of His work, a sentiment found in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
Stanza four delves deeper into the essential nature of God's involvement, asserting that without the "power of heavenly grace" and the "wisdom of the Deity" to direct and govern our actions, any human endeavor, no matter how well-intentioned, is destined to "fail." This underscores the theological principle that all good works are ultimately empowered by and attributed to God, as articulated in verses like Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasizes salvation by grace through faith, not by works, lest anyone should boast. The hymn concludes with an earnest appeal in the fifth stanza, "O almighty God of love," for God to take the matter into His own hands, to remove the "mountain-obstacles," and to fulfill His own design. This final supplication is a powerful expression of surrender and faith, a recognition that our ultimate success is not contingent on our own capabilities but on God's faithfulness to His promises and His covenant love, as found in numerous promises throughout Scripture, such as Jeremiah 32:17: "'Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.'" "But Who Sufficient Is To Lead" serves as an enduring reminder that in the grand narrative of God’s redemption, human limitations are precisely where divine omnipotence shines brightest, inspiring a deeper reliance on Him who alone is sufficient.