Scripture Verse

Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation. Matthew 26:41

Introduction

Words: Epi­pha­ni­us Wil­son, in The Aca­de­mic Hym­nal (NewYork: G. Schir­mer, 1899), num­ber 336.

Music: Straf mich nicht Hun­dert Ar­ien (Dres­den, Ger­ma­ny: 1694) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wil­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Up, my soul, and watch and pray,
See thy lamp be burn­ing!
Sudenly the dread­ful day
Comes with Christ re­turn­ing.
Saints may fail, at the last,
Though the world be sleep­ing,
Thou thy watch be keep­ing.

Linger not in idle dreams;
Up! from sin awak­en;
Lest by morn­ing’s sud­den beams
Thou be ov­er­ta­ken.
Judgment morn, morn of doom,
Brings thy con­dem­na­tion,
Or thy soul’s sal­v­ation.

Strive the world, the hosts of sin,
’Neath their yoke in­fer­nal,
Thee and all the saints to win—
Heirs of life ete­rnal.
Watch and pray! turn to God
From the world’s de­ceiv­ing,
In His grace be­liev­ing.

Tireless watch, and tire­less pray,
Ask of God, the Giv­er,
That from sloth by night and day
He thy life de­liv­er;
’Tis His grace, gives thee pow­er,
Sin and plea­sure scorn­ing,
To await the morn­ing.