Scripture Verse

Your ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all your paths. Proverbs 5:21-23

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Le­thal A. Ellis, 1929, alt. Ap­peared in Crown­ing Hymns No. 10 (At­lan­ta, Geor­gia: Mor­ris-Hen­son, 1930), num­ber 1 (🔊pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

illustration

There’s a God who’s stand­ing
At Heav­en’s door;
He’s look­ing this uni­verse o’er;
And He sees each mor­tal
With a search­ing eye:
You can’t do wrong and get by.

Refrain

You can’t do wrong and get by,
No mat­ter how hard you may try;
Nothing hid­den can be,
Everything He doth see;
You can’t do wrong and get by.

Out in­to the dark­ness
You alone may go,
And seeds for the wick­ed one sow;
But an eye is watch­ing
From the throne on high:
You can’t do wrong and get by.

Refrain

Yes, He knows your sec­rets,
Ev­ery­thing you do;
He knows that your life is un­true;
You can ne’er de­ceive Him,
There’s no use to try,
You can’t do wrong and get by.

Refrain