Trust and Obey

This page includes a lyric video, history, sheet music, and other resources for the classic hymn “Trust and Obey.” Enjoy!

Enjoy this You Tube video, performed by Big Daddy Weave, with lyrics for “Trust and Obey”:

History of “Trust and Obey”:

Words by John Henry Sammis (1846-1919), Published in 1887

John was born in New York. At the age of 23, he moved to Indiana where he was a successful businessman and an active Christian layman.¹ For several years, John worked with the YMCA before decided to pursue full-time ministry.² He attended seminary and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1880. As a pastor, he served churches in Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota. After many years as a successful pastor, he joined the faculty of BIOLA (then called the Los Angeles Bible Institute) where he taught until his death.³  John wrote a handful of hymns, the most popular of which is “Trust and Obey.”

Daniel Towner, who wrote the music for this hymn, records:

“[In 1886,] Mr. [Dwight] Moody was conducting a series of meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts, and I had the pleasure of singing for him there. One night a young man rose in a testimony meeting and said, ‘I am not quite sure — but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.’ I just jotted that sentence down and sent it with the little story to the Rev. J. H. Sammis. . . . He wrote the hymn, and the tune was born.”⁴

Music by Daniel Brink Towner (1850-1919), Published in 1887

Daniel was born and raised in Pennsylvania where he received his early musical education from his father, Professor J.G. Towner, “a singer and music teacher of considerable reputation.”⁵ Daniel began his career as a church music director in New York and went on to serve at churches in Ohio and Kentucky. In 1885, “because of his fine baritone voice and his skill as a choral conductor,” Dwight D. Moody invited Daniel to serve in his evangelical campaigns.⁶ In 1893, Daniel became the head of the Music Department at Moody Bible Institute, and according to hymnologist William Jensen Reynolds, “In this position, he exerted an unusual influence in church music throughout the Midwest as he trained evangelical church music leadership and evangelistic singers.”⁷ During the course of his life, Daniel composed over 2000 gospel songs and compiled 14 songbooks. He passed away while leading music at an evangelistic meeting in Longwood, Missouri.⁸

Lyrics for “Trust and Obey”:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Additional Resources for “Trust and Obey”:

Sheet Music (PDF Compliments of Hymnary.org)

Guitar Chords (Links to Ultimate Guitar)

Visit Hymnary.org or Hymn Time.com for more on this hymn.

See our Hymn of the Week page for a list of the hymns that are included on this site.

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Sources:
1 Hustad, Donald P. Dictionary Handbook to Hymns for the Living Church. Hope Publishing Company, 1978, p. 312.
2 Erickson, J. Irving. Sing It Again! A Handbook on The Covenant Hymnal. Covenant Press, 1985, p. 384.
3 Reynolds, William Jensen. Hymns of Our Faith: A Handbook for the Baptist Hymnal. Broadman Press, 1964, p. 397.
4 Reynolds, p. 260.
5 Reynolds, p. 425.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Hustad, p. 329.