The Sinner — Christ the Way of Life

Ah, how shall fallen man

No. 384
Metre S. M.
Tune OLMUTZ.
Words Isaac Watts.
Music Lowell Mason.
Key B-flat major
Singing key B♭ major
Time 2/2
5 stanzas

Words

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Ah, how shall fallen manBe just before his God?If he contend in righteousness,We sink beneath his rod.

If he our ways should markWith strict inquiring eyes,Could we for one of thousand faultsA just excuse devise?

All-seeing, powerful God!Who can with thee contend?Or who, that tries the unequal strife,Shall prosper in the end?

The mountains, in thy wrath,Their ancient seats forsake;The trembling earth deserts her place,Her rooted pillars shake.

Ah! how shall guilty manContend with such a God?None, none, can meet him and escape,But through the Saviour's blood.

About this hymn

As printed As printed: running head «THE SINNER—CHRIST THE WAY OF LIFE.»; hymn number «384» (large), tune name «OLMUTZ. S. M.» centred over the music (condensed capitals), «LOWELL MASON.» at the right (capitals and small capitals). Stanza 1 is interlinear, between the staves, one line per system, with «1.» before «Ah,» («fall - en», «be - fore», «con - tend», «right - eousness,», «be - neath» hyphenated under the notes; «eousness,» printed unbroken under two notes). Stanzas 2–5 are printed as text in the left column below the music, under the reference line «151, 89, 403.» in italics (= may also be sung to the tunes of hymns 151, 89 or 403). «Isaac Watts.» in italics after stanza 5. The print sets a thin space before «?», «!» and «;» («God ?», «devise ?», «God !», «contend ?», «end ?», «forsake ;», «Ah !»); it is closed up here. The printer's curly apostrophe is written straight («Saviour's»). Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's («All-seeing», «Saviour's»). Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print.