Knocking at the Door of Mercy

Lord, at thy feet we sinners lie

Author: Simon Browne
Published in 94 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Lord, at thy feet we sinners lie,
And knock at mercy's door;
With heavy heart and downcast eye,
Thy favor we implore.

2 [On us, the vast extent display
Of thy forgiving love;
Take all our heinous guilt away,
This heavy load remove.

3 We sink, with all this weight oppress'd,
Sing down to death and hell;
Oh, give our troubled spirits rest,
Our num'rous fears dispel.]

4 'Tis mercy, mercy we implore,
We would thy bowels move;
Thy grace is an exhaustless store,
And thou thyself art love.

5 Oh, for thy own, for Jesu's sake,
Our many sins forgive;
Thy grace our rocky hearts can break,
And breaking soon relieve.

6 Thus melt us down, thus make us bend,
And thy dominion own;
Nor let a rival more pretend
To repossess thy throne.

Source: The Hartford Selection of Hymns: from the most approved authors: to which are added a number never before published (2nd ed.) #CXXXIII

Author: Simon Browne

Simon Browne was born at Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, about 1680. He began to preach as an "Independent" before he was twenty years of age, and was soon after settled at Portsmouth. In 1716, he became pastor in London. In 1723, he met with some misfortunes, which preyed upon his mind, and produced that singular case of monomania, recorded in the text-books of Mental Philosophy; he thought that God had "annihilated in him the thinking substance, and utterly divested him of consciousness." "Notwithstanding," says Toplady, "instead of having no soul, he wrote, reasoned, and prayed as if he had two." He died in 1732. His publications number twenty-three, of which some are still in repute. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins,… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Lord, at thy feet we sinners lie
Title: Knocking at the Door of Mercy
Author: Simon Browne
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Lord, at Thy feet a sinner lies. S. Browne. [Lent.] Appeared in the first edition of his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, &c, 1720, No. 15, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled “Sinners suing for mercy." In Rippon's Selection, 1787, No. 235, it was altered to "Lord, at Thy feet ice sinners lie” and this form has been continued to modern hymnals, as in Baptist Psalms & Hymns, 1858 and 1880, No. 384. Its use is somewhat extensive.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 94 of 94)

A Baptist Hymn Book, Designed Especially for the Regular Baptist Church and All Lovers of Truth #d455

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A Collection of Hymns for the use of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in America #401

A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the United Brethren in Christ #d205

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A Pastor's Selection of Hymns and Tunes #402

A Prayer Meeting and Revival Hymn Book . 27th ed. #d265

A Prayer Meeting and Revival Hymn Book. 5th ed. #d168

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A Selection of Hymns & Psalms #168

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CLXXXVIII

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CLXXXVIII

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A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #235

A Selection of Hymns, from Various Authors #d225

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A Selection of Hymns #CCXXXV

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A Selection of Spiritual Songs #511

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Baptist Hymn Book #a299

Calvary Selection of Spiritual Songs with Music for the Church and the Choir #d504

Christian Psalms and Hymns to Aid in Public and Private Devotion #d536

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Church Psalmist #289

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Church Psalmist #289

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Church Psalmist #289

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Church Psalmody #525

General Baptist Hymn Book #d291

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #452

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Hymns for Christian Melody #272

Hymns for Conference Meetings and Private Devotions #d83

Hymns for Social Worship, Compiled for the Use of Canadian Baptist Churches #d169

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Hymns for Social Worship #154

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Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship #486

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Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. ed. #401

Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs, including Some Never Before in Print #d189

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New Hymn and Tune book #21e

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New Hymn and Tune Book #21e

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New Manual of Praise #251

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Parish Psalmody #d416

Parish Psalmody #d428

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Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. #d469

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Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs #692

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Sacred lyrics, or Select hymns #50

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Seamen's Hymns #289

Seamen's Hymns and Devotional Assistant #d361

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Social Psalmist #289

Songs for Social and Public Worship. Rev. ed. #d238

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Songs for the Sanctuary, or Hymns and Tunes for Christian Worship #530

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Songs for the Sanctuary; or Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (Baptist Ed.) #530

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Songs for the Sanctuary; or, Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (Words only) #530

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Songs for the Sanctuary #530

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Songs for the Sanctuary #530

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Songs for the Sanctuary #530

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Songs of the Church #308

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Spiritual Songs for Social Worship #296

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Spiritual Songs for Social Worship #296

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Spiritual Songs for Social Worship #296

Supplement to Watts #d240

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Temple Melodies #429

The African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymn Book #d259

The American Hymn and Tune Book #d443

The Baptist Hymn Book, in Two Parts #d326

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The Baptist Hymn Book #299

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The Baptist Psalmody #448

The Chapel Hymn Book #d221

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The Choice #H317

The Choice #H317

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The Christian Harmonist #90

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The Christian Psalmist; or, Watts' Psalms and Hymns #261

The Church Hymn Book #d561

The Church of God Selection of Spiritual Songs for the Church and Choir #d500

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors to which are added, a number never before published. #133

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors #CXXXIII

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns #CXXXIII

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The Heart and Voice #151a

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The Manual of Praise for Sabbath and Social Worship #208

The Old Baptist Hymn Book #d169

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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #953

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The Psalms and Hymns, with the Doctrinal Standards and Liturgy of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America #H497

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The Psalms and Hymns #21f

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The Psalms of David #H51

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The Sabbath Hymn and Tune Book #251a

The Sabbath Hymn Book. Baptist ed. #d586

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The Saint's Harp #40

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The Saint's Harp #47

The Service of Song for Baptist Churches #d489

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The Tribute of Praise and Methodist Protestant Hymn Book #200

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The Tribute of Praise #200

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The Tribute of Praise #200

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The Virginia Selection of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs #112

Village Hymns #354

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