Scripture Verse

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I find no pleasure in them. Ecclesiastes 12:1

Introduction

portrait
Thomas Blacklock (1721–1791)

Words: Tho­mas Black­lock, in the draft Scot­tish Trans­la­tions and Pa­ra­phras­es, 1781, alt.

Music: Youth­ful Glo­ry in A Com­pi­la­tion of Ge­nu­ine Church Mu­sic, by Jo­seph Funk, third edi­tion, 1842 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

O, in the morn of life, when youth
With vi­tal ar­dor glows,
And shines in all the fair­est charms
That beau­ty can dis­close;
And shines in all the fair­est charms
That beau­ty can dis­close.

Deep in thy soul be­fore its pow­ers
Are yet by vice en­slaved,
Be thy cre­at­or’s glo­ri­ous name
And char­ac­ter en­graved;
Be thy cre­at­or’s glo­ri­ous name
And char­ac­ter en­graved.

Ere yet the shades of sor­row cloud
The sun­shine of thy days;
And cares and toils in end­less round
Encompass all thy ways;
And cares and toils in end­less round
Encompass all thy ways.

Ere yet the heart the woes of age,
With vain re­gret de­plore,
And sad­ly muse on for­mer joys
That now re­turn no more;
And sad­ly muse on former joys
That now re­turn no more.