Religion

Hymn II.19: Our frail bodies, and God our Preserver

by Isaac Watts 1674–1748

From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II (1707)

Religion

Let others boast how strong they be,
Nor death nor danger fear;
But we'll confess, O Lord, to thee,
What feeble things we are.

Fresh as the grass our bodies stand,
And flourish bright and gay;
A blasting wind sweeps o'er the land,
And fades the grass away.

Our life contains a thousand springs,
And dies if one be gone;
Strange, that a harp of thousand strings
Should keep in tune so long!

But 'tis our God supports our frame,
The God that built us first:
Salvation to th' Almighty name
That reared us from the dust.

He spoke, and straight our hearts and brains
In all their motions rose;
"Let blood," said he, "flow round the veins,"
And round the veins it flows.

While we have breath, or use our tongues,
Our Maker we'll adore;
His Spirit moves our heaving lungs,
Or they would breathe no more.

MLA

Watts, Isaac. “Hymn II.19: Our frail bodies, and God our Preserver.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/524/.

Chicago

Watts, Isaac. “Hymn II.19: Our frail bodies, and God our Preserver.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/524/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Isaac Watts