Hymn Book ‎#117

117. Who knows how near my end may be?

1 Who knows how near my end may be?
Time speeds away, and death comes on;
How swiftly, ah! how suddenly
May death be here, and life be gone!
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

2 The world that smiled when morn was come
May change for me ere close of eve;
So long as earth is still my home
In peril of my death I live;
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

3 Teach me to ponder oft my end,
And ere the hour of death appears,
To cast my soul on Christ, its friend,
Nor spare repentant sighs and tears;
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

4 And let me now so order all,
That ever ready I may be,
To say with joy, whate’er befall,
Lord, as Thou wilt, so lead Thou me;
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

5 Let heaven to me be ever sweet,
And this world bitter let me find;
That I 'mid all its toil and heat
May keep eternity in mind;
My God, for Jesus' sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

6 O Father, cover all my sins
With Jesus’ merits, who alone
The pardon that I covet wins,
And makes his long-sought rest my own;
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

7 His sorrows and His cross I know
Make death-beds soft, and light the grave,
They comfort in the hour of woe,
They give me all I fain would have;
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

8 From Him can naught my soul divide,
Nor life nor death can part us now;
I thrust my hand into His side,
And say, My Lord and God art Thou!
My God, for Jesus' sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

9 In holy Baptism long ago
I joined me to the living Vine;
Thou lovest me in Him I know,
In Him Thou dost accept me Thine.
My God, for Jesus' sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day,

10 And I have eaten of His flesh,
And drunk His blood,--nor can I be
Forsaken now, nor doubt afresh,
I am in Him, and He in me;
My God, for Jesus' sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

11 Then death may come, or tarry yet,
I know in Christ I perish not,
He never will His own forget,
He gives me robes without a spot:
My God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Thy peace may bless my dying day.

12 And thus I live in God at peace,
And die without a thought or fear,
Content to take what God decrees,
For through His Son my faith is clear;
His grace shall be in death my stay,
And peace shall bless my dying day.

Text Information

• First Line: Who knows how near my end may be?
• Author: Emilie Juliana, Countess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1884
• Topic: Death

Tune Information

(No tune information)