The Cyber Hymnal ‎#2130

2130. The Handwriting on the Wall

1. At the feast of Belshazzar and a thousand of his lords,
While they drank from golden vessels, as the Book of Truth records,
In the night, as they reveled in the royal palace hall,
They were seized with consternation—’twas the Hand upon the wall!

Refrain
’Tis the hand of God on the wall!
’Tis the hand of God on the wall!
Shall the record be "Found wanting!"
Or shall it be "Found trusting!"
While that hand is writing on the wall?

2. See the brave captive, Daniel, as he stood before the throng,
And rebuked the haughty monarch for his mighty deeds of wrong;
As he read out the writing—’twas the doom of one and all,
For the kingdom now was finished—said the Hand upon the wall! [Refrain]

3. See the faith, zeal and courage, that would dare to do the right,
Which the Spirit gave to Daniel—’twas the secret of his might,
In his home in Judea, or a captive in the hall,
He understood the writing of his God upon the wall! [Refrain]

4. So our deeds are recorded—there’s a Hand that’s writing now:
Sinner, give your heart to Jesus, to His royal mandates bow;
For the day is approaching—it must come to one and all,
When the sinners’ condemnation will be written on the wall! [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: At the feast of Belshazzar
• Title: The Handwriting on the Wall
• Author: Knowles Shaw (1877)
• Arranger: Ira D. Sankey
• Refrain First Line: ’Tis the hand of God on the wall!
• Language: English
• Source: The Morning Star (Cincinnati, Ohio: Central Book Concern, 1877)
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: [At the feast of Belshazzar]
• Composer: Knowles Shaw (1877)
• Arranger: Ira D. Sankey
• Incipit: 34555 55123 23455
• Key: F Major
• Source: The Morning Star (Cincinnati, Ohio: Central Book Concern, 1877)
• Copyright: Public Domain