Scripture Verse

There is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18

Introduction

Words: Su­san­na Har­ris­on, Songs in the Night (Ip­swich, Eng­land: Pun­chard & Jer­myn, 1780), page 1.

Music: Wood­worth Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry, Men­dels­sohn Col­lect­ion, or Third Book of Psal­mo­dy (New York: 1849) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
William Bradbury
(1816–1868)

Lyrics

Rapid my days and months run on,
How soon an­oth­er year is gone!
How swift my gold­en mo­ments roll,
How much neg­lect­ed by my soul!

Let me be­gin with ho­ly fear
This new, this fleet­ing, fly­ing year;
Too many un­im­proved have passed,
This year, per­haps, may be my last.

Give me, great God, a heart to pray;
Let all old things be done away;
Give me new strength to con­quer sin,
And plant new ho­li­ness with­in.

I ask new wis­dom for this year,
New fit­ness for my tri­als here;
Of ev­ery grace a rich­er store,
My God to love and hon­or more.

This year, O sheath war’s dire­ful sword!
Let ev­ery na­tion serve the Lord:
Visit Thy Church, and may she bear
Much glo­ri­ous fruit this bless­èd year.