The Cyber Hymnal ‎#12552

12552. When Bending O'er The Brink Of Life

1 When bending o’er the brink of life,
My trembling soul shall stand;
I wait to pass death’s awful flood,
Great God, at Thy command!

2 When weeping friends surround my bed,
And close my sightless eyes,
When shattered by the weight of years
This broken body lies—

3 When every long loved scene of life
Stands ready to depart,
When that last sigh which shakes the frame
Shall rend this bursting heart—

4 O, Thou great source of joy supreme,
Whose arm alone can save,
Dispel the darkness that surrounds
The entrance to the grave!

5 Lay Thy supporting gentle hand
Beneath my sinking head;
And with a ray of love divine,
Illume my dying bed!

6 I lean on Thy dear faithful breast
As I resign my breath!
And in Thy fond embraces, lose
The bitterness of death!

Text Information

• First Line: When bending o’er the brink of life
• Title: When Bending O'er The Brink Of Life
• Author: William B. Collyer
• Meter: CM
• Language: English
• Source: Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original (London: 1812)
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tune: ABERDEEN, attr. to Andrew Tait, 1749

Tune Information

• Name: ABRIDGE
• Composer: Isaac Smith (ca. 1770)
• Meter: CM
• Key: E♭ Major
• Source: Collection of Psalm Tunes in Three Parts, 1770
• Copyright: Public Domain