Hymn The Fall

Unusually in a hymn, this one begins by talking about Satan. the first three verses are all objective before the application comes in in verse 4. 'Wins the day' makes me a little nervous but you can see the point. The final line 'First he allures, and then destroys' is powerful.

260 The Fall LM

1 WHEN Satan saw his rebel host,
His cause, and heaven for ever lost,
Malice and wrath his mind possessed,
And fury burned within his breast.

2 He knew how vain the attempts to rise,
With impious rage against the skies;
But bent on ill, another way
He turns his arms, and wins the day.

3 ’Twas in a dark unguarded hour,
That our first parents felt his power;
Soft innocence and virtue fell
An easy prey to death and hell.

4 Yes sons of God, the tempter fly,
Nor the unequal contest try;
By promised bliss the fiend decoys,
First he allures, and then destroys.