"Why do We Mourn Departing Friends"
                           by Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
                                  Text From:
                     THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
               (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942) p.422



	1. Why do we mourn departing friends
	Or shake at death's alarms?
	'Tis but the voice that Jesus sends
	To call them to His arms.
	
	2. Are we not tending upward, too,
	As fast as time can move?
	Nor would we wish the hours more slow
	To keep us from our Love.
	
	3. Why should we tremble to convey
	Their bodies to the tomb?
	There the dear flesh of Jesus lay
	And scattered all the gloom.
	
	4. The graves of all the saints He blessed
	And softened every bed.
	Where should the dying members rest
	But with their dying Head?
	
	5. Thence He arose, ascending high,
	And showed our feet the way.
	Up to the Lord we, too, shall fly
	At the great rising-day.
	
	6. Then let the last loud trumpet sound
	And bid our kindred rise:
	Awake, ye nations under ground!
	Ye saints, ascend the skies!
	
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        Notes:
        Hymn #593 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: Mark 5:39
        Author: Isaac Watts, 1707, alt.
        Composer: Justin H. Knecht, 1797
        Tune: "Domine, clamavi"
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        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

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