Scripture Verse

Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. Genesis 19:17

Introduction

Words: From Sac­red Lyr­ics, ed­it­ed by Na­than S. S. Be­man (Troy, New York: N. Tut­tle, 1832), num­ber 11.

Music: From Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, by Tho­mas Hast­ings & Lo­well Ma­son (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Car­ter, Hen­dee, 1834), pag­es 132–33 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Haste thee, sin­ner, haste away,
Vengeance is at hand!
From de­struc­tion quick­ly flee,
Flee at God’s com­mand:
No more in­quire.
Lo! the ci­ty’s doom is sealed;
Wrath from Heav’n shall be re­vealed
In li­quid fire!

Haste thee, sin­ner, haste away
From th’o’er­whelm­ing rain!
Break at once thy long de­lay,
Stay not in the plain!
In threat­en­ing form,
See the clouds above thy head,
All around their folds are spread,
O, flee the storm!

Haste thee, sin­ner, haste away,
Ere the tem­pest falls!
Now the warn­ing voice ob­ey,
While the Spir­it calls:
For re­fuge fly;
In the fate of So­dom see
What may quick­ly come to thee:
Why wilt thou die?

Haste thee, sin­ner, haste away,
While ’tis mer­cy’s hour;
Harden not thy heart to­day,
Through the tempt­er’s pow­er;
O, turn and live;
Jesus is the hid­ing place,
Flee to Him, and trust His grace;
He will for­give.

illustration
Escape of Lot from Sodom
Matthäus Merian (1593–1650)