Scripture Verse

This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Luke 12:20

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in Sun­day-School Hymns (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Am­eri­can Sun­day-School Un­ion, 1856), num­ber 155. Now is the ac­cept­ed time.

Music: Grä­fen­berg Jo­hann Crü­ger, Prax­is Pi­eta­tis Me­li­ca, 1647 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

portrait
Johann Crüger
(1598–1662)

Lyrics

Oh say not, I will yet de­lay
To seek God’s of­fered grace
;
When Je­sus, with a voice of love,
Says now, Seek thou My face.

Say not, To­mor­row I will turn:
To thee it may not come;
For e’en this night thy soul may hear
Its ev­er­last­ing doom.

Say not, When sick­ness lays me low,
I will be­gin to pray
;
For swift dis­ease, or sud­den death,
May call thy soul away.

But say, with ear­nest­ness and faith,
“Je­sus, I come to Thee;
Now, from this mo­ment, by Thy grace,
Help me from sin to flee.

“Now, for Thy ten­der mer­cy’s sake,
Forgive my past de­lay;
And, in Thine own re­deem­ing blood,
Wash all my sins away.

Now, by Thy Ho­ly Spir­it’s pow’r
Renew this heart of mine.
And may the life which Thou hast spared,
Be hence­forth whol­ly Thine.