Methodist Hymn and Tune Book ‎#47

47. O God, our help in ages past

1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:

2. Under the shadow of Thy throne,
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient in Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

5. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their cares and fears,
Are carried downward by the flood,
And lost in following years.

6. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

7. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guide while life shall last,
And our eternal home.

Text Information

• First Line: O God, our help in ages past
• Author: Dr. Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1917
• Topic: Eternal: Home; Home: Our eternal; Human: Frailty; Brevity of Life; The Godhead: The Father

Tune Information

• Name: ST. ANN
• Composer: Dr. W. Croft, 1678-1727
• Meter: C.M.
• Key: C Major