Man Mortal, and God Eternal

Through every age, eternal God,

Thou art our rest, our safe abode:

High was Thy throne ere heaven was made;

Or earth Thy humble footstool laid.

Long hadst Thou reigned ere time began,

Or dust was fashioned into man:

And long Thy kingdom shall endure.

When earth and time shall be no more.

But man, weak man, is born to die,

Made up of guilt and vanity;

Thy dreadful sentence, Lord, was just--

"Return, ye sinners, to your dust."

Death, like an overflowing stream.

Sweeps us away; our life's a dream--

An empty tale--a morning flower.

Cut down and withered in an hour.

Teach us, O Lord, how frail is man;

And kindly lengthen out our spar,

Till a wise care of piety

Fit us to die and dwell with Thee.