Eternal God, how frail is man

Eternal God, how frail is man

Author: Isaac Watts
Published in 23 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Eternal God! how frail is man!
How few his hours, how short his span!
Short, from the cradle to the grave.
Who can secure his vital breath
Against the bold demands of death,
With skill to fly or pow'r to save?

2 But shall it, therefore, Lord! be said,
The race of man was only made
For sickness, sorrow, and the dust?
Or if thy servants, day by day,
Sink to their graves and turn to clay,
Thou hast no kindness for the just!

3 Hast thou no given to thy Son
An endless life, a heav'nly crown?
Why then should flesh and sense despair?
For ever blessed be the Lord,
That we can read his holy word,
And find a resurrection there.

4 For ever blessed be the Lord,
Who gives his saints a long reward
For all their toil, reproach, and pain.
Let all below and all above
Join to proclaim thy wondrous love,
And each repeat their loud "Amen."

Source: A Collection of Hymns and A Liturgy: for the use of Evangelical Lutheran Churches; to which are added prayers for families and individuals #494

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 >

Text Information

First Line: Eternal God, how frail is man
Author: Isaac Watts
Copyright: Public Domain

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Instances

Instances (1 - 23 of 23)
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A Collection of Hymns and a Liturgy for the Use of Evangelical Lutheran Churches #494

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A Collection of Hymns and a Liturgy #494

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #460

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A Selection of Sacred Poetry #460

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Christian Hymns for Public and Private Worship #542

Hymns, Selected from Various Authors, for the Use of the Unitarian Church in Washington #d31

Psalms and Hymns, for Social and Private Worship #d119

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, for Social and Private Worship #159

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A Selection of Hymns for Worship (2nd ed.) #389

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Christian Hymns #118

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The New Hymn Book, Designed for Universalist Societies #202

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The New Hymn Book, Designed for Universalist Societies #202

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A Collection of Hymns and A Liturgy #494

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Social and Private Worship #CCXCIX

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A Selection of Hymns and Psalms for Social and Private Worship (6th ed.) #333

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A Selection of Sacred Poetry #460

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship #641

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship. 8th ed. #a641

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Hymns for the Sanctuary #518

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