Song Lyrics

Isaac Watts, Father of Modern Hymns, Why Do We Mourn Departing Friends?

by Brother Carlton 
05/15/12
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The author of this hymn is Isaac Watts who was born in 1674-1748. Watts was an English pastor, preacher, poet, and prodigious hymn writer with about 600 hymns to his credit including: "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" "Am I a Soldier of the Cross" and "Joy to the World." Isaac Watts was a very gifted man in languages and in music as well as possessing a good knowledge of theology as testified by his three volumes of theological discourses. He wrote many wonderful hymns with a deep sense of God's majesty and glory. Read carefully the lyrics below and if you know the melody too I'm sure it will rejoice your heart as it echoes softly in your ears. If you do not know the melody then let me encourage you to do a search on Google.com and discover it for yourself. Below are the lyrics to "Why Do We Mourn Departing Friends?" This is a wonderful hymn to be sung during worship services on Sundays but it would also be a most appropriate hymn to be sung at a funeral of a loved one who knew the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. I think upon this hymn now as I think upon my several friends who have died just over the last six years. There is Seth, and Dan and Arch and Wendelle and my distant cousin Rick. Recently I learned of a childhood friend named Jerry who I remember as a very good basketball and football player when I was in fifth and sixth grade. Jerry looked like the stereotypical nerd with glasses and freckles but he was a good childhood friend when I was growing up and lived with my aunt and uncle in Union City, CA. The importance of meeting new friends should be clear because if we didn't continually meet new people and develop new friendships then soon we would have none. Everybody is going to die some day and if our friends leave us before we meet with death then everyone we meet will be but strangers. How nice to gather with our friends before that final hour when death comes knocking at our door. So let us continually be meeting new friends. These may not replace our older better known friends but they can sure be of comfort during our sense of joy, work, trials, loss and mourning. Now ponder these blessed lyrics by Isaac Watts the masterful hymn writer. Why do we mourn departing friends, Or shake at death�s alarms? �Tis but the voice that Jesus sends To call them to His arms. Are we not tending upward, too, As fast as time can move? Nor would we wish the hours more slow To keep us from our love. Why should we tremble to convey Their bodies to the tomb? There the dear flesh of Jesus lay, And left a long perfume. The graves of all His saints He blessed, And softened every bed; Where should the dying members rest, But with the dying Head? Thence He arose, ascending high, And showed our feet the way; Up to the Lord our flesh shall fly, At the great rising day. Then let the last loud trumpet sound, And bid our kindred rise; Awake, ye nations under ground; Ye saints, ascend the skies. Death can be a very sad experience can't it? Yes, death can be sad even for Christians because we miss the presence of our dear friends and family members who leave this world. While it is true that we shall be re-united in heaven once again to see those we loved and who loved God and with whom we fellowshipped here on earth yet their removal to another realm often causes within us a sense of loss. Perhaps we are being a bit selfish when we consider that it is their gain though it be our loss. Note in these song lyrics the opening question: Why do we mourn departing friends, Or shake at death�s alarms? Hear the answer from Mr. Watts: �Tis but the voice that Jesus sends To call them to His arms. If we as believers trust that God always does the right thing then we can be assured that God calls His saints home at just the right hour. We have no guarantees how long any of us will live and so we must be ready to die. We must never make our plans in such a manner as to think they shall come to past because only God is all knowing and can see into the future every exact detail of our existence from cradle to our grave whether we live long upon this earth or live our life less than an average lifespan. God's sovereignty should be our comfort in all the trials that we face. We know that heaven is a far better place to be than on this sin cursed earth so let us rejoice with the apostle Paul who said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" Philippians 1:22-23 You will notice in the last eight stanzas the hope of the resurrection made possible by our Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection. Because Jesus lives we can live. If we are in Christ there is therefore now no condemnation (Romans 8:1) The sentence of everlasting punishment has been removed so that both our souls and bodies can live foreever and rise at the "great rising day" at the "the last loud trumpet sound" Thence He arose, ascending high, And showed our feet the way; Up to the Lord our flesh shall fly, At the great rising day. Then let the last loud trumpet sound, And bid our kindred rise; Awake, ye nations under ground; Ye saints, ascend the skies.

Brother Carlton ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member)and junk removal expert he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns and poems and doing street preaching. See his videos on http://www.youtube.com Type LAStreetPreacher in the search bar. CONTACT at [email protected]