Skip to content ↓

A Faithful Mother’s Love

A Faithful Mothers Love

Janet Hamilton is one of those old poets whose work I have just begun to explore. She lived and died during an era when devotional poetry was important to Christians and I have found her poems quite enjoyable. Here is one that reflects on the beauty of a mother’s love for her child.

Dear child! a faithful mother’s love
For thee will toil, and watch, and pray;
An angel hovering still above
Thy couch by night, thy steps by day.

Oh think how oft thy lips have pressed
Her breast! how oft thine arms have clung
Around her neck, while to her heart
She clasped thee close, and sweetly sung!

When fever’s burning flush suffused
Thy cheek, and heaved thy panting chest,
Thou rest or refuge all refused
Save mother’s arms and mother’s breast.

And she would sit with tangled hair,
With haggard cheek and heavy eyes,
Tend all thy wants with loving care,
And soothe thy pains and hush thy cries.

And she would whisper in thy ear,
And press upon thy infant mind
The name, the love of Jesus dear,
And God, thy Father good and kind.

The pouting lip, the pert reply,
The sullen brow, the stubborn will,
Will dim with tears thy mother’s eye,
And her fond heart with anguish fill.

The smiling lip, the ready yes,
The sunny brow of cheerful love;
What balm for mother’s heart like this?
What dearer blessing can she prove?

Is she a widow? doubly dear
Be she to thee; when griefs assail,
Kiss thou away each mournful tear
That wanders down her cheek so pale.

A faithful God, the first, the best—
The next a faithful mother’s love;
Thou shalt, dear child, of these possessed,
Be safe on earth, and blest above.


  • From the Rising of the Sun

    Preorder My New Book and Documentary!

    A few years ago I had an audacious idea: To travel the world and worship with Christians from east to west and north to south. The idea became a proposal and the proposal became a journey. Before I knew it I was traveling to Tonga, Fiji, Australia and far beyond.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (July 24)

    A La Carte: Carl Trueman on abolishing ourselves / In praise of honest hypocrisy / The path to growth / Is marriage a submission competition? / What really is the gift of tongues? / and more.

  • The Quiet Power of a Courageous Word

    The Quiet Power of a Courageous Word

    Sometimes it is the simplest of matters that bear the greatest fruit. A simple deed, a simple gift, a simple word can make all the difference. They can even begin a cascade that changes lives and changes the world.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 23)

    A La Carte: That thing that happened at the Coldplay concert / Marrying an unbeliever / Caring for elderly parents / Test yourself, but trust in Jesus / Dangers to avoid in parenting / H.B. Charles remembers John MacArthur / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 22)

    A La Carte: Coldplay and hypocrisy / Unconditional election explained / Scottie Scheffler’s secret / A brilliant apologetic strategy / Bad dreams / How prayer works / Kindle deals / and more.