1. Words are things of little cost,
Quickly spoken, quickly lost;
We forget them, but they stand
Witnesses at God's right hand,
And their testimony bear
For us or against us there.
2. Oh, how often ours have been
Idle words and words of sin!
Words of anger, scorn, or pride,
Or deceit, our faults to hide,
Envious tales, or strife unkind,
Leaving bitter thoughts behind.
3. Grant us, Lord, from day to day,
Strength to watch and grace to pray:
May our lips from sin kept free,
Love to speak and sing of Thee;
Till in heav'n we learn to raise
Hymns of everlasting praise.
Fleet, John George, was born in London on the 8th of July, 1818. At 15 years of age he was removed from school to his father's counting-house, and at 17 he had to undertake, through his father's death, the sole control of the business, and from that time he followed commercial pursuits. At an early age he joined as teacher in a small Sunday School which his sister had begun in Lime Street, London. His interest in Sunday Schools which was thus awakened led him, with some young fellow-teachers, to found the Church Sunday School Institute in 1843. Of that Institute he was honorary Secretary for 20 years; and for 15 years he was Editor of the Church Sunday School Quarterly.
To the hymn-book published by the Institute, The Church Sunday Scho… Go to person page >
Dmitri Stephanovich Bortnianski (b. Gloukoff, Ukraine, 1751; d. St. Petersburg, Russia, 1825) was a Russian composer of church music, operas, and instrumental music. His tune ST. PETERSBURG (also known as RUSSIAN HYMN) was first published in J. H. Tscherlitzky's Choralbuch (1825).
The tune is suppo…
Display Title: Guard Thy LipsFirst Line: Words are things of little costTune Title: LESLIEAuthor: John G. FleetMeter: 77.77.77Source: The Church Sunday School Hymn Book (London: Church Sunday School Institute, 1848)