1 Have mercy, Lord, Thy wrath remove,
Nor let Thy judgments weigh me down;
I cannot live without Thy love,
I cannot stand beneath Thy frown.

2 Wilt Thou not once Thy face display,
And dart a ray of heavenly light?
Still must I urge my cheerless way,
And mourn throughout my long-lived night?

3 Lo! In my prayer I ever mourn,
Vexed with the sad remains of sin,
Broken, and bruised, and racked, and torn,
How shall I bear this hell within?

4 This unbelief, these cruel fears,
Distracting doubts, and torturing pain,
While Thou art silent at my tears,
Thou see’st them ever flow in vain.

5 And must I yield to black despair?
In vain on Thee for mercy call,
Tempted above what I can bear!
And wilt Thou suffer me to fall?

6 Never again disclose Thy face,
Or show me the atoning blood?
Have I exhausted all Thy grace?
Hath God forgotten to be good?

7 Forever is Thy mercy gone,
Thy truth, and faithfulness, and love?
Doth angry justice rule alone?
Have I no advocate above?

8 Then pour Thy vengeance on my head,
And quench the smoking flax in me,
Break (if Thou canst) a bruisèd reed,
And cast me out who come to Thee.

9 Jesu, I come my doom to meet,
A sinner whom Thou wilt not spare:
But I will perish at Thy feet,
The first that ever perished there!
Back Home Up Next