Virtual accompanist
Play “Our Frail Bodies, and God Our Preserver”
Free same-meter accompaniment for Our Frail Bodies, and God Our Preserver (Isaac Watts): organ, piano or guitar playing the tune ST. ANNE (William Croft) in four-part harmony, 5 verses, with the words on screen. Choose the key and speed, add an introduction, project the words on a TV, or practice your own choir part. Made for churches and home groups without a musician.
Sung here to ST. ANNE (William Croft), a Common Meter (8.6.8.6) tune — not necessarily the tune usually paired with this text. Any tune in the same meter fits the words.
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- 1Let others boast how strong they be,
- Nor death nor danger fear;
- While we'll confess, O Lord, to Thee,
- What feeble things we are.
- 2Fresh as the grass our bodies stand,
- And flourish bright and gay;
- A blasting wind sweeps o'er the land,
- And fades the grass away.
- 3Our life contains a thousand springs,
- And dies if one be wrong;
- Strange, that a harp of thousand strings
- Should keep in tune so long.
- 4But 'tis our God supports our frame,
- The God that formed us first,
- Salvation to the almighty Name
- That reared us from the dust!
- 5While we have breath, or life, or tongues,
- Our Maker we'll adore.
- His Spirit moves our heaving lungs,
- Or they would breathe no more.
About this music
ST. ANNE — William Croft. Setting: composite found in "The Lutheran Hymnary", 1913.. The score is from the Open Hymnal Project, copied from 'The Lutheran Hymnary', 1913, Hymn 261. Arrangement is composite, first half from "Hymns Ancient and Modern", 1869, Hymn 231. ed William Henry Monk Second half is from "The Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer", 1890, Hymn 279. ed. Charles Vincent, D.J. Wood, John Stainer; music and setting are in the public domain. The words above are from the hymnal cited on the Our Frail Bodies, and God Our Preserver page.
Played in your browser with instrument sounds from the FluidR3 soundfont by Frank Wen (MIT license). No recordings are used.