STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Life is the time to serve the Lord Life the day of grace and hope. Eccles. 9. 4 3 6 10

Isaac Watts printed it in 1707 in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I, no. 88, under Ecclesiastes 9:4–6, 10.

WRITTEN BY

Isaac Watts 1674–1748

PRINTED

1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs · no. 88

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Ecclesiastes 9:4–6, 10 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 6 stanzas as Watts printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

Where Watts found it

Watts printed the hymn under Ecclesiastes 9:4–6, 10. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

4There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten. 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun. 10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. ECCLESIASTES 9:4–6, 10 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ ECCLESIASTES 9

The living know that they must die, But all the dead forgotten lie, Their memory and their sense is gone, Alike unknowing and unknown. STANZA III

Its place in the book

Book I of the hymn book, “Collected from the Holy Scriptures”, holds these hymns in this order: 179 hymns. This is number 88. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 88 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Life is the time to serve the Lord

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