The Handwriting On The Wall

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!

The Handwriting On The Wall 
From the painting

"Belshazzar's Feast"

Rembrandt van Rihn

(1635)



See the brave captive, Daniel
as he stood before the throng,
And rebuked the haughty monarch
for his might deeds of wrong;

As he read out the writing-
'twas doom of one and all,
For the kingdom now was finished
said the Hand upon the wall!

'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 the Hand is writing on the wall?

See the faith, zeal, and courage,
that would dare to do the right,
Which is the spirit gave to Daniel-
the secret of his might;

In his home in Judea,
or captive in the hall,
He understood the writing
of his God upon the wall!

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 sinner's condemnation
will be written on the wall!

'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 the Hand is writing on the wall?

Belshazzar's Feast
John Martin
(1821)


"The Handwriting On The Wall"
Knowles Shaw
(1834-1878)
American author and composer
 of gospel hymns