Scripture Verse

Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Isaiah 42:23

Introduction

Words: John E. Gould, in Gos­pel Me­lo­dies (Cleve­land, Ohio: Will­iam R. Smel­lie, 1885), alt.

Music: Ko­di­ak Or­lan­do S. Grin­nell (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Grin­nell (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Gould,

portrait
John E. Gould (1821–1875)

Lyrics

Listen, sinner, will you listen,
While I make one more appeal?
Would with tears your eyes might glisten!
Would to God your heart might feel!
You will, too, ere long be dying;
Soon we’ll miss you from the earth,
And your cold form will be lying
’Neath the greensward and the turf.

But the grave is not the ending,
Sin will kill beyond the tomb:
Oh, what awful horrors pending
In those words, the sinner’s doom!
God has traced it with His finger,
Jesus said it should be so,
He who lives and dies a sinner
Must endure eter­nal woe.

You have had the Bi­ble warning,
You have had the Spi­rit, too,
Ever since life’s early morning,
He has strove and plead with you.
Many times the teardrop glistened,
Many times your heart did melt;
To the story you have listened,
Of the pangs your Sav­ior felt.

But the Bi­ble you have slighted,
And the Spi­rit turned away,
And refused, tho’ oft invited
To improve your gracious day;
Oh, how hard your heart is getting!
Oh, how sad your state today!
Friend, your star of hope is setting,
Haste to Christ without delay!