1 Lord, thou hast been thy children's God,
All-powerful, wise and good, and just,
In every age their safe abode,
Their hope, their refuge, and their trust,
2 Before thy word gave nature birth,
Or spread the starry heavens abroad,
Or formed the varied face of earth,
From everlasting thou art God.
3 Great father of eternity,
How short are ages in thy sight!
A thousand years, how swift they fly,
Like one short silent watch of night!
4 Uncertain life, how soon it flies!
Dream of an hour, how short our bloom!
Like spring's gay verdure now we rise,
Cut down ere night to fill the tomb.
5 Teach us to count our shortening days,
And with true diligence apply
Our hearts to wisdom's sacred ways,
That we may learn to live and die.
First Line: | Lord, thou hast been thy children's God |
Title: | The Eternity of God and Man's Mortality |
Author: | Anne Steele (1760) |
Meter: | 8.8.8.8 |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |