The Cyber Hymnal ‎#3963

3963. Lord, What a Thoughtless Wretch Was I

1. Lord, what a thoughtless wretch was I,
To mourn, and murmur, and repine,
To see the wicked placed on high,
In pride and robes of honor shine.

2. But O their end, their dreadful end!
Thy sanctuary taught me so;
On slippery rocks I see them stand,
And fiery billows roll below.

3. Now let them boast how tall they rise,
I’ll never envy them again;
There they may stand with haughty eyes,
Till they plunge deep in endless pain.

4. Their fancied joys, how fast they flee!
Just like a dream when man awakes;
Their songs of softest harmony
Are but a preface to their plagues.

5. Now I esteem their mirth and wine
Too dear to purchase with my blood;
Lord, ’tis enough that Thou art mine,
My life, my portion, and my God.

Text Information

• First Line: Lord, what a thoughtless wretch was I
• Title: Lord, What a Thoughtless Wretch Was I
• Author: Isaac Watts (1719)
• Meter: LM
• Language: English
• Source: The Psalms of David, 1719
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tunes: DUKE STREET, attributed to John Hatton, 1793; ERHALT UNS, Herr, Geistliche Lieder (Wittenberg, Germany: 1543); ERNAN, Lowell Mason, 1850

Tune Information

• Name: DEUS TUORUM MILITUM
• Meter: LM
• Incipit: 13515 43211 31671
• Key: C Major
• Source: Grenoble Antiphoner, 1753
• Copyright: Public Domain