Hymn
The Vanity of Man as Mortal
Teach me the measure of my days,
Thou Maker of my frame!
I would survey life's narrow space,
And learn how frail I am.
A span is all that we can boast;
A fleeting hour of time;
Man is but vanity and dust,
In all His flower and prime.
Vain race of mortals, see them move
Like shadows o'er the plain:
They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all the noise is vain.
Some walk in honor's gaudy show;
Some dig for golden ore;
They toil for whom they do not know,
And straight are seen no more.
What should I wish or wait for then,
From creatures, earth, and dust?
They make our expectations vain,
And disappoint our trust.
Now I resign my earthly hope,
My fond desires recall;
I give my mortal interest up,
And make my God my all.
The Vanity of Man as Mortal — Text from Evangelical Lutheran hymnal, 1908. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/the-vanity-of-man-as-mortal
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote The Vanity of Man as Mortal?
The words of The Vanity of Man as Mortal were written by Isaac Watts; the version here was published in 1908. The library holds 248 more hymns by Isaac Watts, including Parting With Carnal Joys and A Song of Deliverance from Great Distress.
Is The Vanity of Man as Mortal public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Evangelical Lutheran hymnal, published in 1908. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of The Vanity of Man as Mortal?
The Vanity of Man as Mortal is in Common Metre (8.6.8.6). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Behold Us, Lord, a Little Space, Looking to the Cross and The Glorious Reign of Christ on Earth.