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The Shortness and Misery of Life

Representative Text

1 Our days, alas! our mortal days
Are short and wretched too;
"Evil and few," the patriarch says,
And well the patriarch knew.

2 'Tis but at best a narrow bound
That heaven allows to men,
And pains and sins run through the round
Of threescore years and ten.

3 Well, if ye must be sad and few,
Run on, my days, in haste;
Moments of sin, and months of wo,
Ye cannot fly too fast.

4 Let heavenly love prepare my soul,
And call her to the skies,
Where years of long salvation roll,
And glory never dies.

Source: Hymns, Selected and Original: for public and private worship (1st ed.) #223

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Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: Our days, alas! our mortal days
Title: The Shortness and Misery of Life
Author: Isaac Watts
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Tune

NEW BRITAIN

NEW BRITAIN (also known as AMAZING GRACE) was originally a folk tune, probably sung slowly with grace notes and melodic embellishments. Typical of the Appalachian tunes from the southern United States, NEW BRITAIN is pentatonic with melodic figures that outline triads. It was first published as a hy…

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All tunes published with 'The Shortness and Misery of Life'^ top

Timeline

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Instances

Instances (1 - 45 of 45)

A Baptist Hymn Book, Designed Especially for the Regular Baptist Church and All Lovers of Truth #d604

A Baptist Hymn Book, Designed Especially for the Regular Baptist Church and All Lovers of Truth #d604
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A Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of the Baptist Church and all lovers of song #344

A Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of the Baptist Church and all lovers of song #344
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A Choice Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians #594

A Choice Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians #594
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A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Songs #413

A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Songs #413
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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #49

A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #49
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A Collection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs; suited to the various kinds of Christian worship; and especially designed for and adapted to the Fraternity of the Brethren... #631

A Collection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs; suited to the various kinds of Christian worship; and especially designed for and adapted to the Fraternity of the Brethren... #631
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A Collection of Spiritual Hymns #855

A Collection of Spiritual Hymns #855

A New and Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Use of the Regular Baptist Church. 10th ed. #d398

A New and Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Use of the Regular Baptist Church. 10th ed. #d398
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A New Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #494

A New Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #494
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Bible School Echoes, and Sacred Hymns #25c

Bible School Echoes, and Sacred Hymns #25c
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Book of Hymns and Tunes, comprising the psalms and hymns for the worship of God, approved by the general assembly of 1866, arranged with appropriate tunes... by authority of the assembly of 1873 #169d

Book of Hymns and Tunes, comprising the psalms and hymns for the worship of God, approved by the general assembly of 1866, arranged with appropriate tunes... by authority of the assembly of 1873 #169d

General Collection of Hymns, Original and Selected, for Use of Christians #d252

General Collection of Hymns, Original and Selected, for Use of Christians #d252
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Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Old School or Primitive Baptist Churches #513

Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Old School or Primitive Baptist Churches #513

Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d297

Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d297
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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books #II.XXXIX

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books #II.XXXIX
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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (5th ed.) #58

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (5th ed.) #58
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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (8th ed.) #58

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (8th ed.) #58

Hymns and Spiritual Songs. 1st Canadian ed. #d239

Hymns and Spiritual Songs. 1st Canadian ed. #d239
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Hymns for Youth, Suitable to be Used in Sabbath and Parochial Schools #351

Hymns for Youth, Suitable to be Used in Sabbath and Parochial Schools #351
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Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship #223

Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship #223

Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship, published by General Synod for the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 68th ed. (8th rev. ed.) #d616

Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship, published by General Synod for the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 68th ed. (8th rev. ed.) #d616
TextPage Scan

Hymns, Selected and Original #223

Hymns, Selected and Original #223
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Hymns #223

Hymns #223
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Hymns #223

Hymns #223
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Hymns #223

Hymns #223
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Hymns #223

Hymns #223
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Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Public Worship, and Approved by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America #H108

Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Public Worship, and Approved by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America #H108

Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship #d651

Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship #d651

Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. #d662

Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. #d662

Psalms and Hymns for Public worship, Containing All the Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts ... #d750

Psalms and Hymns for Public worship, Containing All the Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts ... #d750

Psalms and Hymns for the Worship of God #d644

Psalms and Hymns for the Worship of God #d644
Text

Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #II.39

Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #II.39
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Psalms and Hymns, Adapted to Public Worship #118

Psalms and Hymns, Adapted to Public Worship #118

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d667

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d667
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The Baptist Hymn Book #1211

The Baptist Hymn Book #1211
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The Baptist Psalmody #1168

The Baptist Psalmody #1168

The Church Hymn Book #d766

The Church Hymn Book #d766
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The Columbian Repository #543

The Columbian Repository #543
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The Harp #954

The Harp #954
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The Harp. 2nd ed. #a954

The Harp. 2nd ed. #a954

The Prayer Meeting Hymn Book #d212

The Prayer Meeting Hymn Book #d212
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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #638

The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #638
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The Psalms of David #II.XXXIX

The Psalms of David #II.XXXIX
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The Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. #B39

The Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. #B39

Zion's Hymns, for the Use of the Original Free-Will Baptist Church of North Carolina #d214

Zion's Hymns, for the Use of the Original Free-Will Baptist Church of North Carolina #d214
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