Man dieth and wasteth away,
And where is he?–hark! from the skies
I hear a voice answer and say,
The spirit of man never dies!
His body, which came from the earth,
Must mingle again with the sod;
His soul, which in heaven had birth,
Returns to the bosom of God.

No terror has death, or the grave,
To those who believe in the Lord–
Who know the Redeemer can save,
And lean on the faith of his word:
While ashes to ashes, and dust
We give unto dust, in our gloom
The light of salvation we trust,
Which hangs like a lamp in the tomb.

O Lord God Almighty, to thee
We turn as our solace above;
The waters may fail from the sea,
But never thy fountains of love:
Oh, teach us thy will to obey,
And sing with one heart and accord,–
He gave, and he taketh away,
And praised be the name of the Lord.