Isaac Watts
(1674 - 1748)
This was one of John Wesley's favourite hymns.
Elizabeth Ritchie (the woman looking after the ailing preacher)
wrote that, shortly before Wesley's death, he " broke out
..in a manner which considering his extreme weakness astonished us
all, in these blessed words: ' I'll praise my Maker while I've
breath...' " During that night Wesley tried to repeat
the hymn, but could only say " I'll praise -- I'll praise". A few
hours later John Wesley has passed into the Lord's presence .
8.8.8.8.8.8.8
1.
I'll praise my Maker with my breath,
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler
powers:
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While, life and
thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
2.
Why should I make a man my trust?
Princes must die and turn to
dust;
Vain is the help of flesh and blood:
Their breath departs,
their pomp and power,
And thoughts, all vanish in an hour,
Nor can they make their promise good.
3.
Happy the man
whose hopes rely
On Isr'el's God: He made the sky,
And earth, and
seas, with all their train:
His truth forever stands secure;
He
saves th' oppress'd, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His
promise vain.
4.
The Lord hath eyes to give the blind;
The Lord supports the sinking mind;
He sends the lab'ring
conscience peace;
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow
and the fatherless,
And grants the pris'ner sweet release.
5.
He loves the saints, He knows them well,
But turns the
wicked down to hell;
Thy God, O Sion ! ever reigns:
Let ev'ry
tongue, let ev'ry age,
In this exalted work engage;
Praise Him in
everlasting strains.
6.
I'll praise my Maker with my breath,
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler
powers:
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While, life and
thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
**********