Hymns for Pandemics

The US death toll from coronavirus just passed 200,000, and the world death toll is nearing one million. In older times, plagues and pandemics were an expected – sometimes even common – part of life (as I have previously described). In those times, Christians composed hymns that described their experience of worship in the midst of disease. Today I want to share them with you.

These are powerful hymn lyrics. They contain rich, meaty theological truth. They also contain deep, heartfelt prayer to God for mercy and grace in times of chaos and misery. Whether you ever sing these songs or not, I believe that your faith will be challenged just by thoughtfully reading these hymns.

God of My Life, Look Gently Down

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Tune: Bangor (video below gives the TUNE, not the LYRICS – scroll down to see the lyrics)

1 God of my life, look gently down,
Behold the pains I feel;
But I am dumb before thy throne,
Nor dare dispute thy will.

2 Diseases are thy servants, Lord,
They come at thy command;
I’ll not attempt a murmuring word
Against thy chastening hand.

3 Yet I may plead with humble cries,
Remove thy sharp rebukes;
My strength consumes, my spirit dies,
Through thy repeated strokes.

4 Crush’d as a moth beneath thy hand,
We moulder to the dust;
Our feeble powers can ne’er withstand,
And all our beauty’s lost.

5 I’m but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were,
May I be well prepar’d to go
When I the summons hear.

6 But if my life be spar’d a while,
Before my last remove,
Thy praise shall be my business still,
And I’ll declare thy love.

Our Nation Seemed to Ruin Doomed

Phillip Dodderidge, 1702-1751

Tune: Burford (video below gives the TUNE, not the LYRICS – scroll down to see the lyrics)

1 Our nation seemed to ruin doomed,
Just like a burning brand;
Till snatched from fierce surrounding flames
By God’s indulgent hand.

2 Once more, He says, I will suppress
The wrath that sin would wake,
Once more My patience shall attend,
And call this nation back.

3 But who this clemency reveres?
Or feels this melting grace?
Who stirs his languid spirit up
To seek Thine awful face?

4 On days like these we pour our cries,
And at Thy feet we mourn;
Then rise to tempt Thy wrath again,
And to our sins return.

5 Our nation far from God remains,
Far, as in distant years;
And that small remnant which is left,
A dying aspect wears.

6 Now chastened, rescued thus in vain,
Thy righteous Hand severe
Into the flames might hurl us back,
And quite consume us there.

7 So by the light our burning gives
Might neighboring nations read.
How terrible Thy judgments are,
And learn our guilt to dread.

8 Yet, ’midst the cry of sins like ours,
Incline Thy gracious ear;
And Thine own children’s feeble cry
With soft compassion hear.

9 O by Thy sacred Spirit’s breath
Ignite a holy flame;
Refine the land that Thou has spared,
And magnify Thy name.

Thanks Be To God, Who Heard Our Prayer

Paul Henkel, 1754-1825

Tune: Bangor (video below gives the TUNE, not the LYRICS – scroll down to see the lyrics)

1 Thanks be to God, who heard our prayer,
When we had fears and doubt;
When fierce diseases everywhere,
Compass our land about.

2 When death, that cruel tyrant made
Poor mortals feel his power;
And to another world have fled.
Hence to return no more.

3 How melancholy was the sound,
To hear the dying groan:
Can no relief or help be found,
Till we are fled and gone?

4 And must our troubled spirits fly.
To God, who first them gave?
Our bodies only made to die,
And molder in the grave?

5 Great God, how mournful was the scene
Where’er this was the case;
But great Thy mercies e’er have been;
To those who trust Thy grace.

6 Thanks be to God, that we are spared
To see the present day.
O, make us ready, gracious Lord,
Till we be called away.

When Languor and Disease Invade

Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

Tune: Aberdeen (St. Paul) (video below gives the TUNE, not the LYRICS – scroll down to see the lyrics)

1 When languor and disease invade
This trembling house of clay,
’Tis sweet to look beyond my pains,
And long to fly away.

2 Sweet to look inward, and attend
The whispers of His love;
Sweet to look upward to the place
Where Jesus pleads above.

3 Sweet to look back, and see my name
In life’s fair book set down;
Sweet to look forward and behold
Eternal joys my own.

4 Sweet to reflect how grace divine
My sins on Jesus laid;
Sweet to remember that His blood
My debt of suffering paid.

Ye Sons of Men, A Feeble Race

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Tune: Windsor (video below gives the TUNE, not the LYRICS – scroll down to see the lyrics)

1 Ye sons of men, a feeble race,
Exposed to every snare,
Come, make the Lord your dwelling place,
And try, and trust His care.

2 No ill shall enter where you dwell;
Or if the plague come nigh,
And sweep the wicked down to hell,
’Twill raise His saints on high.

3 He’ll give His angels charge to keep
Your feet in all their ways;
To watch your pillow while you sleep,
And guard your happy days.

4 Their hands shall bear you, lest you fall
And dash against the stones:
Are they not servants at His call,
And sent t’ attend His sons?

5 Adders and lions ye shall tread;
The tempter’s wiles defeat;
He that hath broke the serpent’s head
Puts him beneath your feet.

6 Because on Me they set their love,
I’ll save them, saith the Lord;
“I’ll bear their joyful souls above
Destruction and the sword.

7 “My grace shall answer when they call,
In trouble I’ll be nigh;
My power shall help them when they fall,
And raise them when they die.

8 They that on earth My name have known
I’ll honor them in Heav’n;
There My salvation shall be shown,
And endless life be giv’n.”