How Blest the Righteous Are

How blest the right­eous are

When they re­sign their breath!

No won­der Ba­laam wished to share

In such a hap­py death.

Oh! let me die

said he

The death the right­eous do;

When life is end­ed let me be

Found with the faith­ful few.

The force of truth how great!

When ene­mies con­fess

None but the right­eous whom they hate

A so­lid hope pos­sess.

But Ba­laam’s wish was vain

His heart was in­sin­cere;

He thirst­ed for un­right­eous gain

And sought a por­tion here.

He seemed the Lord to know

And to of­fend Him loth;

But Mam­mon proved his ov­er­throw

For none can serve them both.

May you

my friends

and I

Warning from hence re­ceive;

If like the right­eous we would die

To choose the life they live.