"Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" by Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Text From: THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942)p.98 1. Our God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, Our Shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal Home! 2. Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure. 3. Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. 4. A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone, Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun. 5. Thy word commands our flesh to dust: "Return ye sons of men!" All nations rose from earth at first And turn to earth again. 6. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away; They fly forgotten as a dream Dies at the opening day. 7. Like flowery fields the nations stand, Pleased with the morning light; The flowers beneath the mower's hand Lie withering ere 'tis night. 8. Our God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, Be Thou our Guard while troubles last And our eternal Home! _______________________________________________________ Notes: Hymn #123 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_ Text: Ps. 90 Author: Isaac Watts, 1719, ab. Composer: William Croft, 1708 Tune: "St. Anne" ______________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (219) 452-2148 Fax: (219) 452-2126 ______________________________________________________________