Scripture Verse

God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave. Psalm 49:15

Introduction

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, 1707–09, Book II, num­ber 63. This hymn was sung at the fun­er­al of Am­er­ican pre­si­dent George Wash­ing­ton.

Music: Ban­gor Will­iam Tan­s’ur, 1734 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Death of the Grave Digger
Carlos Schwabe
1866–1926

Lyrics

Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound;
My ears, attend the cry;
“Ye living men, come view the ground
Where you must shortly lie.

Princes, this clay must be your bed,
In spite of all your towers;
The tall, the wise, the reverend head
Must lie as low as ours!

Great God! is this our certain doom?
And are we still secure?
Still walking downward to our tomb,
And yet prepare no more?

Grant us the powers of quickening grace,
To fit our souls to fly,
Then, when we drop this dying flesh,
We’ll rise above the sky.