In the Desert of Sorrow and Sin

 

1

In the desert of sorrow and sin,

Lo! I faint as I journey along;

With the warfare without and within,

See my strength and my hope nearly gone.

Refrain

I thirst, let me drink,

Of the live-giving stream let me drink;

’Tis the Rock, cleft for me,

’Tis the water, the water of life.

2 

In my weakness I turn to the fount,

From the Rock that was smitten for me;

And I drink, and I joyfully count

All my trials a blessing to be. [Refrain]

3

O Thou God of compassion, I pray,

Let me ever abide in Thy sight;

Let me drink of the fount day by day,

Till I join Thee in mansions of light. [Refrain]

 

Author: Henry R. Trickett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-ARgCrOPUg

Ray Walker has made many recordings of hymns and gospel songs with the Dallas Christian Adult Choir and other choirs (specific to the Church of Christ). Here's a very interesting article about his life and career:

http://www.jordanaires.net/RayWalker/raybio.htm

Exodus 17:1-7

New International Version

Water From the Rock

1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Footnotes

Exodus 17:7 Massah means testing.

Exodus 17:7 Meribah means quarreling.