God Moves in a Mysterious Way

English poet and hymn writer William Cowper [KOO–per] was born in 1731 in Berkhamsted, England. His life was filled with great sorrow and despair from a very early age. Cowper was the only surviving child of his parents, and sadly, his mother passed away when he was very young. While attending boarding school, he was bullied and mistreated by an older student. 

As a young man, Cowper’s uncle sent him to study law, but Cowper doubted his ability as a lawyer. He went into a deep depression. While being treated by a Christian doctor who pointed him to Christ and to reading the Bible, Cowper began to find hope. 

Depression and doubt continued to follow Cowper throughout the remainder of his life, but these struggles shaped him as a poet and hymn writer. Cowper made other Christian friends who helped him turn to Christ when he was feeling lost. One of those friends was John Newton, the writer of the cherished hymn “Amazing Grace.” 

Newton and Cowper collaborated in writing the Olney Hymns in 1779, a collection of more than 300 hymns by the duo. They also became involved in the abolitionist movement, writing poetry to encourage the end of slavery. Cowper continued writing until his passing in 1800. His poetry has been quoted by the likes of Jane Austen and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., among others.