Doctor Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David, to which is added a collection of hymns; the whole applied to the state of the Christian Church in general (3rd ed.) ‎#157

157. Man frail, and God eternal

1 Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

2 Beneath the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
And my defence is sure.

3 Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth receiv'd her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4 Thy word commands our flesh to dust,
Return ye sons of men;
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

5 A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising dawn.

6 [The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

7 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

8 Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleas'd with the morning light;
The flow'rs beneath the mower's hand
Lie withering ere 'tis night.]

9 Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Text Information

• First Line: Our God, our help in ages past
• Title: Man frail, and God eternal
• Meter: Common Metre
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1786
• Scripture:
  Psalm 90:1-5
• Topic: Afflictions: without rejection; Death: the effect of sin; Frailty of Man; Funeral psalm; God: Eternal and Man mortal; Life: short and feeble; Man: his vanity as mortal; Mortality: of man; Old age: death; Psalm: for Funeral; Saints: Reward at last

Tune Information

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