Religion
Hymn II.48: Love to the creatures is dangerous
From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II (1707)
How vain are all things here below!
How false, and yet how fair!
Each pleasure hath its poison too,
And every sweet a snare.
The brightest things below the sky
Give but a flatt'ring light;
We should suspect some danger nigh
Where we possess delight.
Our dearest joys, and nearest friends,
The partners of our blood,
How they divide our wav'ring minds,
And leave but half for God!
The fondness of a creature's love,
How strong it strikes the sense!
Thither the warm affections move,
Nor can we call them thence.
Dear Savior! let thy beauties be
My soul's eternal food;
And grace command my heart away
From all created good.
Cite this poem
MLA
Watts, Isaac. “Hymn II.48: Love to the creatures is dangerous.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/553/.
Chicago
Watts, Isaac. “Hymn II.48: Love to the creatures is dangerous.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/553/.
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More by Isaac Watts
- Psalm 35, Part 2: Love to enemies; or, The love of Christ to sinners typify'd in David
- Psalm 107, Part 4: Deliverance from storms and shipwreck; or, The seaman's song
- Hymn I.38, Part 1: The atonement of Christ
- Hymn II.38: Love to God
- Hymn III.26: A song of praise to the ever-blessed Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Spirit