Scripture Verse

God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 7:11

Introduction

portrait
James Montgomery
(1771–1854)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: James Mont­gom­ery, Sac­red Po­ems and Hymns (New York: D. Ap­ple­ton, 1854), num­ber 19. The flood.

Music: Grä­fen­berg Jo­hann Crü­ger, Prax­is Pi­eta­tis Me­li­ca, 1647 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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portrait
Johann Crüger
(1598–1662)

Lyrics

illustration
Building the Ark
James Tissot (1836–1902)

In vain the preach­er cried, Re­pent;
Flee from im­pend­ing wrath
;
Headlong the world of re­bels went
Along its own broad path.

They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold,
Built, plant­ed, till the day
When the flood came, and young and old
Were swept at once away.

A few that feared the warn­ing word
Escaped the doom of sin;
The ark re­ceived them, and the Lord
Shut safe His ser­vants in.

The tide of time that knows no turn,
Like that en­gulf­ing flood,
Whelms with de­struct­ion those that spurn
God’s truth and Je­sus’ blood.

But still His preach­ers cry, Re­pent;
Flee from sin’s dead­ly doom
;
Forth from the ark this call is sent,
Come in, there yet is room.

Unshut the door, where Mer­cy stands,
The per­ish­ing to save,
With ear­nest eye, and out­stretched hands,
From death be­yond the grave.