“The Shortness of Life, and the Goodness of God” is an hymn written by Isaac Watts. It is Hymn 58 of Book 2, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: In Three Books, published 1709. It has seven stanzas in Common Meter, warning of the brevity of life while extolling the goodness of God. It is a timely reminder for us all. In The Sacred Harp we sing it with the tune Fleeting Days (No. 395b).
1. Time! what an empty vapour ’tis!
And days, how swift they are!
Swift as an Indian arrow flies,
Or like a shooting star.
1. Time! what an empty vapour ’tis!
And days, how swift they are!
Swift as an Indian arrow flies,
Or like a shooting star.
2. The present moments just appear,
Then slide away in haste,
That we can never say—they’re here;
But only say—they’re past.
Then slide away in haste,
That we can never say—they’re here;
But only say—they’re past.
3. Our life is ever on the wing,
And death is ever nigh;
The moment when our lives begin,
We all begin to die.
And death is ever nigh;
The moment when our lives begin,
We all begin to die.
4. Yet, mighty God! our fleeting days
Thy lasting favours share;
Yet with the bounties of thy grace,
Thou load’st the rolling year.
Thy lasting favours share;
Yet with the bounties of thy grace,
Thou load’st the rolling year.
5. ’Tis sovereign mercy finds us food,
And we are clothed with love;
While grace stands pointing out the road
That leads our souls above.
And we are clothed with love;
While grace stands pointing out the road
That leads our souls above.
6. His goodness runs an endless round;
All glory to the Lord!
His mercy never knows a bound;
And be his name adored!
All glory to the Lord!
His mercy never knows a bound;
And be his name adored!
7. Thus we begin the lasting song,
And, when we close our eyes,
Let the next age thy praise prolong
Till time and nature dies.
And, when we close our eyes,
Let the next age thy praise prolong
Till time and nature dies.
No comments:
Post a Comment