She never graduated from any school, but she always had a
passion for books and read widely. By age 14, she was submitting poems to a
local newspaper.
When she was 24, she married Charles Hawks and focused on
raising their three children. She and her husband were members of the Hanson
Place Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York, whose pastor was the hymn writer,
Robert Lowry. He recognized Annie's talent and encouraged her gift of poetry.
He promised to write the music for her poems.
Hawks gave a personal account of how she wrote this hymn: “One
day, as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular
household tasks during a bright June morning, in 1872. Suddenly, I became so
filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could
live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words were ushered into my mind,
the thought at once taking full possession of me.
“For myself, the hymn, at its writing, was prophetic rather
than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on
the wings of love and joy, instead of under the stress of great personal
sorrow, with which it has often been associated.
“I did not understand at first why this had touched the
great throbbing heart of humanity. Years later, however, under the shadow of a
great loss, I came to understand something of the comforting power of the words
I had been permitted to give out to others in my hours of sweet serenity and
peace.”
Lowry wrote the refrain to the words when he wrote the
music. Lowry also set all of Hawks’ hymns to music. Hawks wrote over 400 hymn
text, but "I Need Thee Every Hour" is the only one sung today.
After the death of her husband, she moved to Bennington,
Vermont to live with her daughter and son-in-law. She died there in 1918 and is
interred at the Hoosick Rural Cemetery.
Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1826.
He was the son of Crozier Lowry, who had emigrated from Northern Ireland in the
early part of the 19th century. When Lowry was 17, he underwent an experience
of religious conversion. He joined the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia,
where he worked enthusiastically as a Sunday School teacher and chorister.
In 1848 Lowry was encouraged by his pastor to prepare for a
life’s work in the Christian ministry. He began studies at the University at
Lewisburg (now Bucknell University).
When asked to explain his methods of composition, Lowry
replied: “I have no method. Sometimes the music comes, and the words follow,
fitted insensibly to the melody. I watch my moods, and when anything good
strikes me, whether words or music, and no matter where I am, at home or on the
street, I jot it down. Often the margin of a newspaper or the back of an
envelope serves as a notebook.
“My brain is a sort of spinning machine, I think, for there
is music running through it all the time. I do not pick out my music on the
keys of an instrument. The tunes of nearly all the hymns I have written have
been completed on paper before I tried them on the organ. Frequently the words
and the music have been written at the same time.”
In 1872, Ira Sankey used this hymn at the National Baptist
Sunday School Association Convention. The following year the song appeared in
the Royal Diadem for the Sunday School, which was compiled by Lowry and William Doane.
It is no wonder that this hymn became so well known. Who among us hasn’t felt a great need for God – for God’s presence – for God’s guidance – for God’s help? The need that Mrs. Hawks felt for God is a need that all of us feel at some time in our lives. Her little verse expressed the deepest feelings of her heart – and of our hearts as well. That is why this hymn has been a favorite for more than a century.
Biblehub.com, Matthew Poole’s Commentary: He does not say
the peace of the world, but the peace of God, or, as some copies, the
peace of Christ; be sure, without the mediation of Christ we can have no peace
with God; He alone hath made peace. He is our peace, making it with God
and amongst ourselves . . . the Lord of peace Himself, who always
gives it where it is enjoyed. It is then the peace of God through Christ; see
by faith in Whom we have peace in our own hearts with God, and with one another.
Studylight.org, Coffman’s Commentary on the Bible: The agency of God Himself is in view in this passage. All temptation, while allowed by God, is also controlled by Him; and the Father will simply not allow a child of God to be tempted above what he is able to bear. In the wise providence of God, He has made a way out of every temptation; and, as Barclay noted, “There is the way out, and the way out is not the way of surrender, and not the way of retreat, but the way of conquest in the power of the grace of God.”
Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: Even though the temptations are brought on by human nature and are common to man, Paul encourages the Corinthians by saying, “but God is faithful” and He “will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.” Paul is not saying that God will remove these natural temptations but that He will leave a way open for them to retreat or endure once they have been seized by the temptation. Whether or not we are overcome with the temptation depends upon our enduring it. Paul says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Bibleref.com: David asks God to quickly answer his prayer. This suggests the urgency in which David needed the Lord’s help. David’s need of rescue may have been physical, emotional, spiritual, or all three. At many times in his life, he was under attack . . . This psalm reminds believers of God’s personal relationship to His people. David personally takes refuge in the Lord and calls to Him in the midst of need, trusting God will listen or “incline His ear.”
Dailyverse.knowing-Jesus.com: He is the One who promised to teach Israel those things that would benefit them, both in this life, and in the world to come. And He is the same Lord who has promised to guide us into the way of truth, direct us through deep valleys of darkness and upholds us with His righteous right hand, as we climb the hills of difficulty that pepper our earthly path.
Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: At Christ’s baptism there was a manifestation of the three Persons in the sacred Trinity. The Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on Him, to be through His mediation communicated to His people. In Him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that sanctifies every gift. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace.”
Studylight.org, Bridgeway Bible Commentary: When Jesus approached John to be baptized, John hesitated, because he knew Jesus was superior to him in character, status and authority. But Jesus insisted. He wanted to begin His ministry with a public declaration of His devotion to God. Baptism was an act of obedience carried out by those who declared themselves on the side of God and His righteousness. Jesus was baptized to show that, like all the faithful, He was obedient to God and He intended to carry out all God’s purposes . . . Having shown His intentions, Jesus received openly the assurance that His Father was pleased with Him. The Father’s announcement, by combining a quote concerning the Davidic Messiah with one concerning the Servant of the Lord, gave an indication that Jesus’ way to Kingly glory was to be that of the Suffering Servant. In appointing Jesus to His public ministry, the Father poured out upon Him the Holy Spirit, through whose power He would carry out His messianic work.
Biblehub.com, Benson Commentary: He did not say in what respect he desired God to bless him, but leaves that to God, giving Him, as it were, a blank paper, that He might write what He pleased. Spiritual blessings are the best blessings, and those are blessed indeed, who are blessed with them. God’s blessings are real things and produce real effects. We can but wish a blessing: He commands it.
Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: To a God willing
to show mercy He comes with the merits of a sacrifice sufficient for all and pleads for their salvation. We may, therefore, come with boldness and look for
pardon. We come not depending on our merits, but we come where a sufficient
sacrifice has been offered for human guilt; and where we are assured that God
is merciful. We may, therefore, come without hesitancy, or trembling, and ask
for all the mercy that we need.
