Scripture Verse

God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. 2 Peter 2:4

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts
1674–1748

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs 1707–09, Book 2, num­ber 96. Dis­tin­guish­ing love: or, An­gels pun­ished and man saved.

Music: Es kommt ein Schiff Anon­y­mous, 1608 (🔊 pdf nwc).

illustration
The Fall of Lucifer
Gustave Doré
1832–1883

Lyrics

Down headlong from their native skies,
The rebel angels fell,
And thunderbolts of flaming wrath
Pursued them deep to hell.

Down from the top of earthly bliss
Rebellious man was hurled,
And Jesus stooped beneath the grave
To reach a sinking world.

O love of infinite degree!
Unmeasurable grace!
Must Heav’n’s eternal darling die,
To save a traitorous race?

Must angels sink for ever down,
And burn in quenchless fire,
While God forsakes His shining throne
To raise us wretches higher?

O for this love let earth and skies
With hallelujahs ring,
And the full choir of human tongues
All hallelujahs sing.