From: "Alice K. Turner" 
Subject: Re: (urth) Watts, presentiments, eponyms
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 20:03:09 -0500

I'm not quite sure what the context is for reprinting this. It's a famous
old Anglican hymn. I'm a heathen now, but I was brought up as an
Episcopalian/Anglican and I will staunchly say that our music is the
best--aside from a few early items by designer names (Bach, Handel etc.) and
some fabulous gospel, mostly Baptist, I suppose, we win hands down for
music. This one is sort of a drone, but an effective drone. Wolfe is RC;
this doesn't count for him,.

Alice

> Isaac Watts Psalm 90
> Part 1.
> Man frail, and God eternal.
>
>    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  Thy word commands our flesh to dust,
>          "Return, ye sons of men:"
>       All nations rose from earth at first,
>          And turn to earth again.
>
>    5  A thousand ages in thy sight
>          Are like an ev'ning gone;
>       Short as the watch that ends the night
>          Before the rising sun.
>
>    6  [The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
>          With all their lives and cares,
>       Are carried downwards by the flood,
>          And lost in following years.
>
>    7  Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
>          Bears all its sons away;
>       They fly, forgotten, as a dream
>          Dies at the op'ning day.
>
>    8  Like flowery fields the nations stand
>          Pleased with the morning light;
>       The flowers beneath the mower's hand
>          Lie with'ring ere 'tis night.]
>
>    9  Our God, our help in ages past,
>          Our hope for years to come,
>       Be thou our guard while troubles last,
>          And our eternal home.




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