The Writings of Dustin Battles

Several people have asked for the streamlined version of my new hymn. So here are the lyrics and links to my new hymn, "Beneath the Sun." Annotated version Four-part hymn Video of me singing it a cappella My new creator Facebook page Projection slides and other downloads here Lyrics: 1. Beneath the sun my soul is sighing: how brief a vapor is my life! My gain is gone, my days are dying. I chase the wind and stir up strife. Why is my life, O God, not fruitful? Will nothing last that I have done?  Life is unfair, for all is futile. There's nothing new beneath the sun.  [2.] I told myself, “Perhaps some pleasure will fill the void within my soul. Perhaps hard work or gaining treasure will make me wise and not a fool.” But my delight turned into sorrow, transformed before my very eyes. What charms today dissolves tomorrow. Earth never fully satisfies. 3. There is a season under heaven, a task and time for everything. I cannot grasp the span I’m given, or know what future days

Beneath the Sun A hymn based on the book of Ecclesiastes Words: © 2022 Dustin Battles Tune: WAYFARING STRANGER Lyrics with footnotes to Scripture passages: 1. Beneath the sun [1]  my soul is sighing: [2] how brief a vapor [3]   is my life ! [4] My gain is gone , [5]   my days  are dying. [6] I chase the wind [7]  and   stir up  strife. [8] Why is my life,  O God , not fruitful? [9] Will nothing last that I have done? [10]   Life is  unfair, [11]   for all is futile. [12] There's nothing new beneath the sun . [13]   [ 2 . ] I told myself, “Perhaps some pleasure [14] will fill the void  within my soul. [15] Perhaps hard work [16]  or gaining treasure [17] will make me wise [18]  and not a fool.” [19] But my delight [20]  turned into sorro w , [21] transformed before my very eyes. [22] What charms today dissolves tomorrow. [23] Earth never fully satisfies. 3 . There is a season under heaven, [24] a task [25]  and time [26]  for everything . [27] I cannot grasp [28]  the span I’m give