Scripture Verse

For thy work shall be rewarded. Jeremiah 31:16

Introduction

portrait
Fanny Crosby (1820–1915)

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, in Young Peo­ple’s Songs of Praise, by Ira D. San­key (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1902), num­ber 21.

Music: Lin­der­hof Charles H. Ga­bri­el (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles H. Gabriel (1856–1932)

Lyrics

Work, watch and pray,
The pass­ing hour im­prov­ing;
Life’s ebb­ing sand
Perchance will soon be run;
Work, watch and pray,
And may each gold­en mo­ment
Tell of some good
Our will­ing hands have done.

Refrain

Work, watch and pray,
The Lord Him­self com­mand­eth;
Look un­to Him
From whom all bless­ings flow;
And if we fail
In wis­dom, grace or know­ledge,
Still look to Him
Who doth our weak­ness know.

Work, watch and pray,
And let our zeal be fer­vent;
We may not know
The bliss for us in store;
Then la­bor on,
While yet the sun­shine lin­gers;
Night comes apace
When we can work no more.

Refrain

Work, watch and pray,
And ne­ver be dis­cour­aged,
Tho’ for a while
Our toil may seem in vain;
Yet we shall see
The lit­tle cloud aris­ing—
God in His love
Will send the pro­mised rain.

Refrain