How blest the righteous are
Book 1, Hymn 20 · John Newton · Public-domain words
How blest the righteous are
Book 1, Hymn 20 · John Newton
The words
- 1
Stanza 1. How blest the righteous areWhen they resign their breath!No wonder Balaam wished to shareIn such a happy death.
- 2
Stanza 2. “Oh! let me die, said he,The death the righteous do;When life is ended let me beFound with the faithful few.”
- 3
Stanza 3. The force of truth how great!When enemies confess,None but the righteous whom they hate,A solid hope possess.
- 4
Stanza 4. But Balaam’s wish was vain,His heart was insincere;He thirsted for unrighteous gain,And sought a portion here.
- 5
Stanza 5. He seemed the LORD to know,And to offend him loth;But Mammon proved his overthrow,For none can serve them both.
- 6
Stanza 6. May you, my friends, and I,Warning from hence receive;If like the righteous we would die,To choose the life they live.
Olney Hymns (1779), Book 1, Hymn 20. John Newton. Public domain. CCEL transcription with modernized spelling. www.praylock.com/olney-hymns/1-20
About these words
John Newton lived from 1725 to 1807. These historical words are public domain.
This hymn belongs to the complete three-book collection first published in 1779.
The CCEL transcription modernizes spelling and some punctuation. Read this hymn at the source. Checked 23 October 2026.
No sheet music or recordings are included. This web collection is separate from the PrayLock iPhone app.
Begin with prayer.
Choose the apps that take your attention, and put prayer before them. PrayLock requires a Pro subscription.
Download on theApp Store
On a computer? Scan with your iPhone camera to open PrayLock on the App Store.
