Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb

Top Text Author Text Info Notes Tune Timeline Arrangements Media Page Scans Instances

Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb

Author: Isaac Watts
Tune: DIRGE (Handel)
Published in 315 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	Ten Chorale Improvisations, Set 1

Representative Text

1 Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb,
Take this new treasure to they trust,
And give these sacred relics room
To seek a slumber in the dust.

2 Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear,
Invade thy bounds. No mortal woes
Can reach the peaceful sleeper here,
And angels watch his soft repose.

3 So Jesus slept; God's dying son
Passed through the grave and blest the bed;
Rest here blest saint, till from his throne
The morning break and pierce the shade.

4 Break from his throne, illustrious morn,
Attend O earth! his sovereign word;
Restore thy trust, a glorious form;
He must ascend to meet his Lord.

The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors, 1799

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

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 >

^ top

First Line:	Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb
Author:	Isaac Watts
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English

^ top

Notes

Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb. I. Watts. [Burial.] This is the last of five odes which are appended to a letter "To Lucius, on the death of Serena," published in his Reliquiae Juveniles, &c, 1734. It is in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "Ode v. A Funeral Ode at the Interment of the Body, supposed to be sung by the Mourners." It has passed into several hymn-books in Great Britain and America John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

^ top