Psalms, carefully suited to the Christian worship in the United States of America ‎#181

181. Man mortal, and God eternal

1 Thro' ev'ry age, eternal God,
Thou art our rest, our safe abode:
High was thy throne e'er heav'n was made,
Or earth thy humble footstool laid.

2 Long had'st thou reign'd ere time began,
Or dust was fashion'd to a man:
And long thy kingdom shall endure
When earth and time shall be no more.

3 But man, weak man, is born to die,
Made up of guilt and vanity:
Thy dreadful sentence, Lord, was just,
"Return ye sinners, to your dust."

[4 A thousand of our years amount
Scarce to a day in thine account,
Like yesterday's departed light;
Or the last watch of ending night.]

Pause.

5 Death like an overflowing stream,
Sweeps us away – our life's a dream;
An empty tale – a morning flow'r,
Cut down and wither'd in an hour.

[6 Our age to sev'nty years is set;
How short the time! how frail the state!
And if to eighty we arrive,
We rather sigh, and groan than live.

7 But oh how oft thy wrath appears,
And cuts off our expected years!
Thy wrath awakes our humble dread!
We fear the power that strikes us dead.]

8 Teach us, O Lord, how frail is man;
And kindly lengthen out our span,
'Till a wise care of piety
Fit us to die, and dwell with thee.

Text Information

• First Line: Thro' ev'ry age, eternal God
• Title: Man mortal, and God eternal
• Meter: Long Metre
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1791
• Scripture:
  Psalm 90

Tune Information

(No tune information)