Scripture Verse

Why stand ye here all the day idle? Matthew 20:6

Introduction

Words: Re­gi­nald He­ber (1783–1826). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Church Ser­vice of the Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 46–47.

Music: Duke Street at­trib­ut­ed to John Hat­ton, 1793 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Reginald Heber (1783–1826)

Lyrics

The God of Gl­ory walks His round,
From day to day, from year to year,
And warns us each with aw­ful sound,
“No long­er stand ye idle here!

“Ye whose young cheeks are ro­sy bright,
Whose hands are strong, whose hearts are clear,
Waste not of hope the morn­ing light!
Ah fools! why stand ye idle here?

“Oh, as the griefs ye would as­suage
That wait on life’s de­clin­ing year,
Secure a bless­ing for your age.
And work your mak­er’s bu­si­ness here!

“And ye, whose locks of scan­ty grey
Foretell your lat­est tra­vail near.
How swift­ly fades your worth­less day!
And stand ye yet so idle here?

One hour re­mains, there is but one!
But ma­ny a shriek and many a tear
Through end­less years the guilt must moan
Of mo­ments lost and wast­ed here!

Oh Thou, by all Thy works ad­ored,
To whom the sin­ner’s soul is dear,
Recall us to Thy vine­yard, Lord!
And grant us grace to please Thee here!