Great God, How Frail A Thing Are We

Composer
Difficulty
Easy radio_button_checked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked
Season
Voicing(s)
Category
Instrumental Only?
No
Description

SATB a cappella (optional organ). Billings' tune Thomas-Town, edited by Thomas Gibbs, Jr. Text (altered) attributed to Mather Byles. Typical Billings style: open harmonies, vigorous rhythms, and a resolute style throughout.

Audio
Lyrics

Great God, how frail a thing are we!
How swift our minutes pass!
Our age contracts within a span:
we bloom and die like grass.

And must my moments thus decline,
and must I sink to death?
To thee my spirit I resign,
thou maker of my breath.