Doctor Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David ‎#159a

159a. The Frailty and Shortness of Life

1 Lord, what a feeble piece
Is this our mortal frame!
Our life how poor a trifle 'tis,
That scarce deserves the name!

2 Alas, the brittle clay
That built our body first!
And every month and every day,
'Tis mouldering back to dust.

3 Our moments fly apace,
Our feeble powers decay,
Swift like a flood our hasty days
Are sweeping us away.

4 Yet, if our days must fly,
We'll keep their end in sight,
We'll spend them all in wisdom's way,
And let them speed their flight.

5 They'll waft us sooner o'er
This life's tempestuous sea;
Soon we shall reach the peaceful shore
Of blest eternity.

Text Information

• First Line: Lord, what a feeble piece
• Title: The Frailty and Shortness of Life
• Meter: Short Metre
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1790
• Scripture:
  Psalm 90:5
  ;
  Psalm 90:10
  ;
  Psalm 90:12
• Topic: Afflictions: without rejection; Death: the effect of sin; Frailty of Man; Funeral psalm; God: Eternal and Man mortal; Life: short and feeble; Man: his vanity as mortal; Mortality: of man; Old age: death; Psalm: for Funeral; Saints: Reward at last

Tune Information

(No tune information)