Scripture Verse

Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Psalm 90:1

Introduction

Words: Ro­bert Burns, Po­ems (Ed­in­burgh, Scot­land: 1787).

Music: Burns at­trib­ut­ed to Ro­bert Burns (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

  • Aberdeen pos­si­bly by An­drew Tait, 1749 (🔊 pdf nwc)
  • Caithness Scot­tish Psal­ter, 1635 (🔊 pdf nwc)
  • Dundee Scot­tish Psal­ter, 1615 (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
Robert Burns (1759–1796)

Lyrics

O Thou, the first, the great­est friend
Of all the hu­man race!
Whose strong right hand has ev­er been
Their stay and dwell­ing place!

Before the mount­ains heaved their heads
Beneath Thy form­ing hand;
Before this pon­der­ous globe it­self
Arose at Thy com­mand;

That pow­er which raised, and still up­holds
This uni­vers­al frame,
From count­less, un­be­gin­ning time,
Was ev­er still the same.

Those migh­ty pe­ri­ods of years,
Which seem to us so vast,
Appear no more be­fore Thy sight,
Than yes­ter­day that’s past.

Thou giv’st the word: Thy crea­ture, man,
Is to ex­ist­ence brought;
Again Thou say’st, Ye sons of men,
Return ye in­to nought!

Thou lay­est them, with all their cares,
In ev­er­last­ing sleep;
As with a flood Thou tak’st them off
With ov­er­whelm­ing sweep.

They flour­ish like the morn­ing flow­er,
In beau­ty’s pride ar­rayed;
But long ere night cut down it lies
All wi­thered and de­cayed.