We Plough the Fields and Scatter

We plough the fields and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft refreshing rain.

   All good gifts around us
   Are sent from Heaven above;
   Then thank the Lord, O thanks the Lord,
   For all His love.

He only is the Maker
Of all things near and far,
He paints the wayside flower
He lights the evening star,
The winds and waves obey Him,
By Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us His children,
He gives our daily bread.

We thank Thee then, O Father,
For all things bright and good;
The seed‑time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
For all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest,
Our humble thankful hearts.

These are words by Jane M. Campbell (1817‑1878) who translated this hymn from the original German. She is also well‑known for translating 'Stille Nacht' into English. The German poet Matthias Claudius (1740‑1815) wrote it in 1782 in 17 stanzas of 4 lines. He was born to a Lutheran Pastor at Reinfeld, between Hamburg and Lubeck, and began writing Christian poetry after a bout of ill‑health.Here are some scriptures which are believed to have inspired the writer.

Job 5:10 (God) Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.

Job 37:6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God.

Genesis 1:31 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

Luke 8:23‑25 As they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake;...and were in jeopardy.And they...awoke him, saying, Master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased….What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them.

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Genesis 8:21‑22 The LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake;...While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.