Scripture Verse

Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me. Psalm 49:14–15

Introduction

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. Death and the re­sur­rec­tion.

Music: El­la­combe, Ge­sang­buch der herz­ogl. Wir­tem­berg­isch­en ka­tho­lisch­en Hof­ka­pel­le (Würt­tem­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1784). Adapt­ed & har­mo­nized by Will­iam H. Monk in the 1868 ap­pendix to Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, num­ber 366 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Ye sons of pride, that hate the just,
And tram­ple on the poor,
When death has brought you down to dust,
Your pomp shall rise no more.

The last great day shall change the scene;
When will that hour ap­pear?
When shall the just re­vive, and reign
O’er all that scorned them here?

God will my nak­ed soul re­ceive
When se­pa­rate from the flesh;
And break the pri­son of the grave,
To raise my bones afresh.

Heav’n is my ev­er­last­ing home,
Th’in­her­it­ance is sure:
Let men of pride their rage re­sume,
But I’ll re­pine no more.

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Sheep They Are laid in the Grave
James Tissot (1836–1902)