I Cannot Drift Beyond Thy Love

I cannot drift beyond Thy love,
Beyond Thy tender care;
Where’er I stray, still from above
Thine eye beholds me there.
I cannot drift so far away
But what Thy love divine
Upon my path, by night and day,
In mercy sweet doth shine.

I cannot drift beyond Thy sight:
Dear Lord, the thought is sweet;
Thy loving hand will guide aright
My weary, wandering feet.
When rough and dark my lonely way,
I shall not be forgot;
Thro’ all life’s changeful, shadowed day
Thou wilt forsake me not.

I cannot drift away from Thee,
No matter where I go;
Still Thy dear love doth gladden me,
Thou all my way dost know.
Where’er I journey Thou art there,
In wind and wave I hear
Thy voice, in tones of music rare,
And know that Thou art near.

Author: Unknown

No widely recognized author is associated with this hymn in standard references. It appears in various 19th/early-20th-century hymnals and songbooks (often set to music by composers such as H. A. Henry or similar) but is typically listed without credit or as 'anon.' No strong alternate attributions found.