Scripture Verse

As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14–15

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Ser­mons 1721–27.

Music: Al­stone Chris­to­pher E. Will­ing, in the ap­pen­dix to Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Will­ing (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Do flesh and na­ture dread to die?
And ti­mor­ous thoughts our minds en­slave?
But grace can raise our hopes on high,
And quell the ter­rors of the grave.

Do we not dwell in clouds be­low,
And lit­tle know the God we love?
Why should we like this twi­light so,
When ’tis all noon in worlds above?

When we put off this flesh­ly load,
We’re from a thou­sand mis­chiefs free,
For ev­er pre­sent with our God,
Where we have longed and wished to be.

No more shall pride or pass­ion rise,
Or en­vy fret, or mal­ice roar,
Or sor­row mourn, with down­cast eyes,
And sin de­file our eyes no more.

’Tis best, ’tis in­fin­ite­ly best,
To go where tempt­ers can­not come,
Where saints and an­gels, ev­er blest,
Dwell and en­joy their hea­ven­ly home.

O for a vi­sit from my God,
To drive my fears of death away,
And help me through this dark­some road,
To realms of ev­er­last­ing day!