Cast Thy Bread upon the Waters (Hood)

Cast thy bread up­on the wa­ters

Ye who have but scant sup­ply;

Angel eyes will watch above it

You shall find it bye and bye.

He who in His right­eous bal­ance

Doth each hu­man act­ion weigh

Will your sac­ri­fice re­mem­ber

Will your lov­ing deed re­pay.

Cast thy bread upon the wa­ters

Poor and wea­ry

worn with care

Often sit­ting in the sha­dows

Have you not a crumb to spare?

Can you not to those around you

Sing some lit­tle song of hope

While you look with long­ing vi­sion

Thro’ faith’s migh­ty te­le­scope?

Cast thy bread up­on the wa­ters

Ye who have abun­dant store;

It may float on many bil­lows

It may strand on ma­ny a shore;

You may think it lost for­ev­er;

But as sure as God is true

In this life or in the oth­er

It will yet re­turn to you.

Cast thy bread up­on the waters

Far and wide your trea­sure strew;

Scatter it with will­ing fin­gers;

Laugh for joy to see it go;

For if you too close­ly keep it

It will on­ly drag you down;

If you love it more than Je­sus

It will keep you from your crown.

Cast thy bread up­on the wa­ters

Waft it on with pray­er­ful breath;

In some dist­ant

doubt­ful mo­ment

It may save a soul from death;

Or when you shall sleep in si­lence

’Neath the morn and ev­en­ing dew

Stranger hands that you have strength­ened

May strew li­lies ov­er you.