Olney Hymns · Chapter
Looking Upwards in a Storm explained
In this hymn, the speaker cries out to God amidst overwhelming trials, acknowledging his own frailty and dependence on divine help.
What happens
In this hymn, the speaker cries out to God amidst overwhelming trials, acknowledging his own frailty and dependence on divine help. He finds comfort in the certainty that God hears and answers prayer, and rejoices in the privilege of having Christ as his Advocate, a blessing greater than any worldly favor.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs in stanza V, where the speaker’s hope is violently extinguished as Satan obscures ev…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Prayer and Dependence on God
The entire hymn is a prayer, expressing total reliance on God in the midst of affliction.
- Grace and Unmerited Favor
The speaker acknowledges that despite being poor and despised, God does not forget him—a sign of unmerited favor.
- Faith and Trust in Christ
The speaker's confidence rests in having an Advocate with God, which is a privilege of faith in Christ.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
The speaker who pleads with God in affliction, expressing trust in His faithfulness.
- God
The one to whom the speaker prays, described as the friend of the friendless and the hearer of prayer.
- Jesus Christ
The Advocate with the Father, whose intercession is the believer's privilege.
Key passages
“Friend of the friendless and the faint, Where should I lodge my deep complaint?”
You are the friend of those who have no one else and who are weak; to whom else should I bring my sorrowful complaint?
The speaker recognizes God as the only true refuge for the helpless.
“But a pray’r-hearing, answ’ring God, Supports me under every load.”
But because God hears and answers prayer, I am upheld under every burden.
The assurance that God responds to prayer is the foundation of the speaker's strength.
“They whom the world caresses most Have no such privilege to boast.”
Those who are most favored by the world do not have the privilege of having an Advocate with God.
The speaker contrasts worldly favor with the spiritual privilege of Christ's intercession.
