Scripture Verse

That righteous man dwelling among them…vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. 2 Peter 2:8

Introduction

portrait
John Newton (1725–1807)

Words: John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), Book 1, num­ber 5. Lot in Sodom.

Music: St. Mag­nus at­trib­ut­ed to Je­re­mi­ah Clarke in The Di­vine Com­pan­ion, se­cond edi­tion, by Hen­ry Play­ford (Lon­don, 1707). Har­mo­ny by Will­iam H. Monk, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

How hurt­ful was the choice of Lot,
Who took up his abode
Because it was a fruit­ful spot
With them who feared not God!

A pri­son­er he was quick­ly made,
Bereaved of all his store;
And, but for Ab­ra­ham’s time­ly aid,
He had re­turned no more.

Yet still he seemed re­solved to stay
As if it were his rest;
Although their sins from day to day
His right­eous soul dis­tressed.

Awhile he stayed with an­xious mind,
Exposed to scorn and strife;
At last he left his all be­hind,
And fled to save his life.

In vain his sons-in-law he warned,
They thought he told his dreams;
His daugh­ters too, of them had learned,
And per­ished in the flames.

His wife es­caped a lit­tle way,
But died for look­ing back:
Does not her case to pil­grims say,
Beware of grow­ing slack?

Yea; Lot him­self could lin­ger­ing stand,
Though ven­geance was in view;
’Twas mer­cy plucked him by the hand,
Or he had per­ished too.

The doom of So­dom wilt be ours
If to the earth we cleave;
Lord, quick­en all our drow­sy pow­ers,
To flee to Thee and live.

illustration
Lot Flees Sodom and Gomorrah