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Why should I say, “‘Tis yet too soon
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.8.8.8 Appears in 31 hymnals First Line: Why should I say, "'Tis yet too soon Lyrics:
Why should I say, “‘Tis yet too soon
“To seek for heaven or think of death?”
A flower may fade before ‘tis noon,
And I this day may lose my breath.
If this rebellious heart of mine
Despise the gracious calls of Heaven,
I may be harden’d in my sin,
And never have repentance given.
What if the Lord grow wroth, and swear,
While I refuse to read and pray,
That he’ll refuse to lend an ear
To all my groans another day!
52
What if his dreadful anger burn,
While I refuse his offer’d grace,
And all his love to anger turn,
And strike me dead upon the place!
’Tis dangerous to provoke a God!
His power and vengeance none can tell:
One stroke of his almighty rod
Shall send young sinners quick to hell.
Then ‘twill for ever be in vain
To cry for pardon or for grace;
To wish I had my time again,
Or hope to see my Maker’s face.
Why should I say, “‘Tis yet too soon
Our tongues were made to bless the Lord
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 14 hymnals Lyrics:
Our tongues were made to bless the Lord,
And not speak ill of men:
When others give a railing word,
We must not rail again.
Cross words and angry names require
To be chastised at school;
And he’s in danger of hell–fire
That calls his brother fool.
62
But lips that dare be so profane
To mock, and jeer, and scoff
At holy things, or holy men,
The Lord shall cut them off.
When children, in their wanton play,
Served old Elisha so,
And bade the prophet go his way,
‘Go up, thou bald head, go!’
God quickly stopp’d their wicked breath;
And sent two raging bears,
That tore them limb from limb to death,
With blood, and groans, and tears.
Great God! how terrible art thou
To sinners e’er so young:
Grant me thy grace, and teach me how
To tame and rule my tongue.
Our tongues were made to bless the Lord
Why should our garments, made to hide
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.8.8.8 Appears in 15 hymnals Lyrics:
Why should our garments, made to hide
Our parents’ shame, provoke our pride?
The art of dress did ne’er begin
Till Eve our mother learnt to sin.
70
When first she put the covering on,
Her robe of innocence was gone;
And yet her children vainly boast
In the sad marks of glory lost.
How proud we are! how fond to shew
Our clothes, and call them rich and new,
When the poor sheep and silkworms wore
That very clothing long before!
The tulip and the butterfly
Appear in gayer coats than I:
Let me be dress’d fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me still.
71
Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind:
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,
These are the robes of richest dress.
No more shall worms with me compare,
This is the raiment angels wear:
The Son of God, when here below,
Put on this blest apparel too.
It never fades, it ne’er grows old,
Nor fears the rain, nor moth, nor mould:
It takes no spot, but still refines;
The more ‘tis worn, the more it shines.
72
In this on earth would I appear,
Then go to heaven, and wear it there:
God will approve it in his sight;
’Tis his own work, and his delight.
Why should our garments, made to hide
Lord, how delightful ‘tis to see
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.8.8.8 Appears in 162 hymnals First Line: Lord, how delightful 'tis to see Lyrics:
Lord, how delightful ‘tis to see
A whole assembly worship thee!
At once they sing, at once they pray;
They hear of heaven, and learn the way.
84
I have been there, and still would go
’Tis like a little heaven below!
Not all my pleasure and my play
Should tempt me to forget this day.
O write upon my memory, Lord,
The text and doctrines of thy Word,
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before!
With thoughts of Christ and things divine
Fill up this foolish heart of mine:
That, hoping pardon through his blood,
I may lie down, and wake with God.
Lord, how delightful ‘tis to see
Be you to others kind and true
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.8.8.8 Appears in 6 hymnals Lyrics:
Be you to others kind and true,
As you’d have others be to you;
And never do nor say to men
Whate’er you would not take again.
Be you to others kind and true
Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 11.11.8 D Appears in 3 hymnals Lyrics:
Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs
Run sporting about by the side of their dams,
With fleeces so clean and so white;
Or a nest of young doves in a large open cage,
When they play all in love, without anger or rage,
How much may we learn from the sight.
98
If we had been ducks, we might dabble in mud;
Or dogs, we might play till it ended in blood:
So foul and so fierce are their natures;
But Thomas and William, and such pretty names,
Should be cleanly and harmless as doves or as lambs,
Those lovely sweet innocent creatures.
Not a thing that we do, nor a word that we say,
Should injure another in jesting or play;
For he’s still in earnest that’s hurt:
How rude are the boys that throw pebbles and more;
There’s none but a madman will fling about fire,
And tell you, “‘Tis all but in sport.”
Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs
Why should I deprive my neighbour
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.7.8.7 Appears in 6 hymnals Lyrics:
Why should I deprive my neighbour
Of his goods against his will?
Hands were made for honest labour,
Not to plunder, or to steal.
’Tis a foolish self–deceiving
By such tricks to hope for gain:
All that’s ever got by thieving
Turns to sorrow, shame, and pain.
102
Have not Eve and Adam taught us
Their sad profit to compute,
To what dismal state they brought us
When they stole forbidden fruit?
Oft we see a young beginner
Practice little pilfering ways,
Till grown up a harden’d sinner,
Then the gallows ends his days.
Theft will not be always hidden,
Though we fancy none can spy:
When we take a thing forbidden,
God beholds it with his eye.
Guard my heart, O God of heaven,
Lest I covet what’s not mine;
Lest I steal what is not given,
Guard my heart and hands from sin.
Why should I deprive my neighbour
'Tis the voice of the Sluggard: I heard him complain
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 12.12.12.12 Appears in 5 hymnals Lyrics:
’Tis the voice of the Sluggard: I heard him complain,
‘You have waked me too soon! I must slumber again!’
As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed
Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.
‘A little more sleep, and a little more slumber!’
Thus he wastes half his days and his hours without number;
And when he gets up he sits folding his hands,
Or walks about sauntering, or trifling he stands.
96
I passed by his garden, and saw the wild brier,
The thorn, and the thistle grow broader and higher:
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags;
And his money still wastes, till he starves or he begs.
I made him a visit, still hoping to find
He had took better care for improving his mind:
He told me his dreams, talk’d of eating and drinking;
But he scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.
Said I then to my heart, ‘Here’s a lesson for me!
That man’s but a picture of what I might be;
But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,
Who have taught me betimes to love working and reading!’
'Tis the voice of the Sluggard: I heard him complain
Why should I love my sports so well
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 21 hymnals Lyrics:
Why should I love my sports so well,
So constant at my play,
And lose the thoughts of heaven and hell,
And then forget to pray?
76
What do I read my Bible for,
But, Lord, to learn thy will?
And shall I daily know thee more,
And less obey thee still?
How senseless is my heart, and wild!
How vain are all my thoughts!
Pity the weakness of a child,
And pardon all my faults.
Make me thy heavenly voice to hear,
And let me love to pray;
Since God will lend a gracious ear
To what a child can say.
Why should I love my sports so well
Lord, I ascribe it to thy grace
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.8.8.8 Appears in 18 hymnals Lyrics:
Lord, I ascribe it to thy grace,
And not to chance as others do,
That I was born of Christian race,
And not a heathen, or a Jew.
What would the ancient Jewish kings
And Jewish prophets once have given,
Could they have heard these glorious things
Which Christ reveal’d and brought from heaven!
36
How glad the Heathens would have been,
That worshipp’d idols, wood, and stone,
If they the book of God had seen,
Or Jesus and his gospel known!
Then, if the Gospel I refuse,
How shall I e’er lift up mine eyes?
For all the Gentiles and the Jews
Against me will in judgment rise.
Lord, I ascribe it to thy grace
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