Adventist Pioneer Library

The Christian — Godly Life

How vain are all things here below

  • No. 650
  • Metre C. M.
  • Words Isaac Watts.
  • 4 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

How vain are all things here below!How false, and yet how fair!Each pleasure hath its poison too,And every sweet a snare.

2

The brightest things below the skyGive but a flattering light;We should suspect some danger nighWhere we possess delight.

3

Our dearest joys, and nearest friends,The partners of our blood,—How they divide our wavering minds,And leave but half for God!

4

My Saviour, let thy beauties beMy soul's eternal food;And grace command my heart awayFrom all created good.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «650» (large) in the lower half of the right column of p. 211, under hymn 649's «Benjamin Beddome.», with the reference line «724, 395, 941.» in italic figures beside it (sing to the tunes of hymns 724 HERBERT, 395 BALERMA or 941 LAUREL HILL, all C. M.; no meter is printed — the four lines 8.6.8.6 are C. M., like the referenced tunes). Stanzas numbered «1»–«4» without periods (written «1.»–«4.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book); lines 2 and 4 indented. The first word «HOW» is set in capitals and small capitals; written «How». «Isaac Watts.» in italics after stanza 4. The print sets a thin space before «!» and «;» («below !», «fair !», «light ;», «God !», «food ;»); it is closed up here. Spelling («Saviour»), punctuation (the dash «blood,—») and capitals are the print's.

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
The Christian — Godly Life · No. 650 · printed page 211
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-10-02