Lord, for tomorrow and its needs
I do not pray;
Keep me, my God, from stain of sin,
Just for today.
Help me to labor earnestly
And duly pray;
Let me be kind in word and deed,
Father, today.
Let me be slow to do my will,
Prompt to obey;
Help me to sacrifice myself
Father, today.
Let me no wrong or idle word
Unthinking say;
Set thou a seal upon my lips
Thro’ all today.
Let me in season, Lord, be grave,
In season gay:
Let me be faithful to Thy grace,
Father, today.
Lord, for tomorrow and its needs
I do not pray;
Still keep me, guide me, love me, Lord,
Thro’ each today.
Sybil Partridge, 1876
Read Matthew 6:31-34
“Just for Today” is a tricky hymn. There are several versions and a least two authors credited with writing them. Some verses have a decidedly Anglican or Catholic bent to them, with a request for God to grant the sacrament. Other hymnals with differing theological understanding just leave those verses out. No matter which version, the hymn reminds us that we need God’s grace day by day. We are wholly dependent on Him. The beautiful side of that dependence is that we do not have to worry about tomorrow. God has that all taken care of.