Song of Life

Not in darkness nor in mystery,
No depth of heart or mind,
Nowhere in heav’n or earth or hell
Can I run and Thou not find;
Transcendent thoughts too deep for me
Surround on every side.
Thy mighty wisdom, O my God,
Moves ocean, wind and tide.

With skillful and with hidden hand
Thou workest in the womb,
And there, in dark and tiny space,
Makest unseen life to bloom.
Fashioned fearfully and wonderf’ly,
Thy knowledge to display,
Thine image bearer grows in night
Which is to Thee as day.

How I love Thy wisdom and Thy thoughts
Unnumbered as the sands.
I joy that all my earthly trials
Are written by Thy hands.
And I trust that strong benevolence
That never leaves my side—
Thy holy, gracious presence is
My treasure and my guide.

Author: Margaret Clarkson

Year: 1989

The text is a modern paraphrase/meditation on Psalm 139. It matches the style and themes of Canadian hymnwriter Margaret Clarkson (1915–2008), who wrote many hymns on God's sovereignty, creation, and providence. The hymn appears in collections from the late 20th century.