Scripture Verse

I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away…And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:11–12

Introduction

portrait
Eden R. Latta (1839–1915)

Words: Ed­en R. Lat­ta, in Grace and Glo­ry, ed­it­ed by Da­vid Dortch & W. G. E. Cunn­yng­ham (Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see: Sou­thern Me­tho­dist Pub­lish­ing House, 1882), num­ber 62.

Music: Da­vid E. Dortch (🔊 pdf nwc).

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David E. Dortch
1851–1928

Lyrics

When we in the judg­ment stand,
In that migh­ty com­pa­ny,
And the Judge shall quest­ion us,
Oh, what shall our an­swers be?
What for ev­ery trif­ling thought,
And each idle word we say?
What for ev­ery sin­ful act
We may do from day to day?

Refrain

When that aw­ful day we see,
Oh, what shall our an­swers be?
When that aw­ful day we see,
Oh, what shall our an­swers be?

When the Lord has ga­thered there,
From the land and from the sea,
All the fa­mi­lies of men,
Oh, what shall our an­swers be?
What for all our want of faith,
What for all our lack of love?
Can we hope a crown to gain,
And a man­sion bright above?

Refrain

Lord, it is a so­lemn thought,
That we must ac­count to Thee!
In that great and aw­ful day,
What shall our poor an­swers be?
Oh, pre­pare us, Lord, we pray,
In Thy pre­sence there to stand!
Purge us from each sin­ful blot;
Place us, Lord, on Thy right hand!

Refrain