Scripture Verse

Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! Numbers 23:10

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in Church Psal­mo­dy, ed­it­ed by Lowe­ll Ma­son & Da­vid Greene (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Per­kins & Mar­vin, 1831), num­ber 616.

Music: Weal­den, ano­ny­mous, in The Sab­bath Hymn and Tune Book, ed­it­ed by Low­ell Ma­son, Ed­wards A. Park & Aus­tin Phelps (New York: Ma­son Bro­thers, 1859), page 177 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

Origin of the Hymn

The op­en­ing line of this hymn is the first line of J. Mont­go­me­ry’s Ode to the Vol­un­teers of Bri­tain, on the Pros­pect of In­vas­ion, pub­lished in his Wan­der­er of Swit­zer­land and Oth­er Po­ems, 1819; and the third line of stan­za i. is part­ly from the last stan­za but one of the same Ode.

From these ex­tracts, and the whole tone and swing of the hymn, it is clear that it was sug­gest­ed by the Ode…It is some­times as­cribed to J. Mont­go­me­ry, and at oth­er times to S. F. Smith, but in each case in er­ror. Its au­tho­rship is un­known. [Fred­er­ic May­er Bird]

Julian, p. 830

Lyrics

Oh for the death of those
Who slum­ber in the Lord!
Oh be like theirs my last re­pose,
Like theirs my last re­ward.

Their bo­dies, in the ground,
In si­lent hope may lie,
Till the last trum­pet’s joy­ful sound
Shall call them to the sky

Their ran­somed spir­its soar,
On wings of faith and love,
To meet the Sav­ior they ad­ore,
And reign with Him above.

With us their names shall live
Through long suc­ceed­ing years,
Embalmed with all our hearts can give,
Our prais­es and our tears.

Oh for the death of those
Who slum­ber in the Lord!
Oh be like theirs my last re­pose,
Like theirs my last re­ward.