Lord, What Was Man?

Lord

what was man

when made at first

Adam the off­spring of the dust

That Thou shouldst set him and his race

But just be­low an an­gel’s place?

That Thou shouldst raise his na­ture so

And make him lord of all be­low;

Make ev­ery beast and bird sub­mit

And lay the fish­es at his feet?

But O what bright­er glo­ries wait

To crown the se­cond Ad­am’s state?

What hon­ors shall Thy Son ad­orn

Who con­des­cende­d to be born!

See Him be­low His an­gels made;

See Him in dust amongst the dead

To save a ru­ined world from sin:

But He shall reign with pow­er di­vine.

The world to come

re­deemed from all

The mi­ser­ies that at­tend the fall

New made and glo­ri­ous

shall sub­mit

At our ex­alt­ed Sav­ior’s feet.