My Son, Know Thou the Lord

Words: Robert C. Brackenbury, in Short Sermons for Children, by Rebecca Wilkinson, circa 1795.

Music: Capello Lowell Mason (1792–1872) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

Aber William H. Monk, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Doncaster Samuel Wesley, 1837 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Lottie William B. Bradbury, in The Devotional Hymn and Tune Book (Philadelphia Pennsylvania: American Baptist Publication Society, 1864), number 26 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Lulu William Bradbury, in Chapel Melodies, edited by Silas J. Vail & Robert Lowry (New York: Biglow & Main, 1868), page 184 (🔊 pdf nwc)

If you know where to get a good picture of Brackenbury (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),

My son, know thou the Lord,
Thy father’s God obey;
Seek His protecting care by night,
His guardian hand by day.

Call, while He may be found;
Seek Him while He is near;
Serve Him with all thy heart and mind,
And worship Him with fear.

If Thou wilt seek his face,
His ear will hear Thy cry;
Then shalt Thou find His mercy sure,
His grace forever nigh.

But if thou leave thy God,
Nor choose the path to Heaven,
Then shalt thou perish in thy sins,
And never be forgiven.

Scripture Verse