Scripture Verse

Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven. Matthew 6:19

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
(1702–1751)

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755).

Music: Rose Hill Jo­seph E. Sweet­ser, 1849 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Why will ye waste on trif­ling cares
That life which God’s com­pass­ion spares;
While, in the va­ri­ous range of thought
The one thing need­ful is for­got?

Why will ye chase the fleet­ing wind,
And fam­ish your im­mor­tal mind,
While an­gels with re­gret look down
To see you spurn a hea­ven­ly crown?

Shall God in­vite you from ab­ove?
Shall Je­sus urge His dy­ing love?
Shall trou­bled con­science give you pain?
And all these pleas be urged in vain?

Not so your eyes will al­ways view
Those ob­jects which you now pur­sue;
Not so will Hea­ven and hell ap­pear,
When death’s de­ci­sive hour is near.

Almighty God, Thy grace im­part;
Fix deep con­vict­ion on each heart,
Nor let us waste, on trif­ling cares,
That life which Thy com­pass­ion spares.