Who can forbear to sing

Top Media Text Author Text Info Tune Timeline Page Scans Instances

Who can forbear to sing

Author: Joseph Swain
Published in 47 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Who can forbear to sing,
Who can refuse to praise,
When Zion’s high celestial king
His saving power displays?

2 When sinners at His feet,
By mercy conquered, fall;
When grace, and truth, and justice meet,
And peace unites them all?

3 When that terrific law
Which, from the blazing mount,
Filled Israel’s trembling camp with awe,
Shows a discharged account?

4 When the sweet Gospel found,
The silver trump of Heav’n.
Proclaim, to contrite souls around,
That all their sin’s forgiv’n?

5 When Heav’n’s expanding gates
Invite the pilgrims’ feet,
And Jesus, at their entrance, waits
To place them on His seat?

6 Who can forbear to praise
Our high celestial king,
When sovereign, rich, redeeming grace,
Invites our tongues to sing?

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #12091

All representative texts • Compare texts • Text size: Regular | Large ^ top

Author: Joseph Swain

Swain, Joseph, was born at Birmingham in 1761, and after being apprenticed to an engraver, removed to London. After a time he became a decided Christian, and being of an emotional poetic temperament, began to give expression to his new thoughts and feelings in hymns. In 1783 he was baptized by the Rev. Dr. Rippon, and in 1791 became minister of a Baptist congregation in East Street, Walworth. After a short but popular and very useful ministry, he died April 16, 1796 Swain published the following:— (1) A Collection of Poems on Several Occasions, London, 1781; (2) Redemption, a Poem in five Books, London, 1789; (3) Experimental Essays on Divine Subjects, London, 1791; (4) Walworth Hymns, by J. Swain, Pastor of the Baptist Church Meeting… Go to person page >

^ top