Does 'God moves in mysterious ways' come from the Bible?

Answer 1

'God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform'. These are the first two lines of the Hymn by William Cowper (1731-1800), although the idea, as with many Hymns has a Biblical basis and is used entirely in the New Testament to refer to the Gospel which was in a sense 'hidden' in the past but now has been fully revealed through Jesus Christ.

The words may have come from:

Psalms 77:14-19 (The Scriptures 1998+) (14) You are the GOD who does wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples. (15) By Your arm You have redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. (16) The waters saw You, O Elohim; The waters saw You, they were afraid; The depths also trembled. (17) The clouds poured out water; The heavens rumbled; Also, Your arrows flashed back and forth. (18) The voice of Your thunder rolled along; Lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook. (19) Your way was in the sea, And Your path in the great waters, And Your footsteps were not known.

Other possible sources could be:

Isaiah 55:8-9 (King James Version)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

John 3:8:

[Jesus said,] "The wind* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."