Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church ‎#515

515. Day of wrath! that day of mourning!

1 Day of wrath! that day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets' warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!
O what fear man's bosom rendeth,
When from heav'n the Judge descendeth,
On whose sentence all dependeth.

2 Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth,
Through earth's sepulchres it ringeth.
All before the throne it bringeth
Death is struck, and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking,
To its Judge an answer making.

3 Lo, the Book, exactly worded,
Wherein all hath been recorded;
Thence shall judgment be awarded.
When the Judge His seat attaineth,
And each hidden deed arraigneth,
Nothing unavenged remaineth.

4 What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
When the just are mercy needing?
King of Majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us!

5 Think, kind Jesus! my salvation
Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation:
Leave me not to reprobation!
Faith and weary thou hast sought me,
On the Cross of suffering bought me;
Shall such grace in vain be brought me?

6 Righteous Judge of retribution,
Grant Thy gift of absolution,
Ere that Day's dread execution.
Guilty, now I pour my moaning,
All my shame with anguish owning:
Spare, O God, Thy suppliant, groaning!

7 Thou the woman gav'st remission,
Heard'st the dying thief's petition;
Hopeless, else were my condition.
Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
Rescue me from fires undying.

8 With Thy favored sheep O place me;
Nor among the goats abase me;
But to Thy right hand upraise me,
While the wicked are confounded,
Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,
Call me, with Thy saints surrounded.

9 Low I kneel, with heart-submission;
See, like ashes, my contrition;
Help me in my last condition.
Ah, that day of tears and mourning!
From the dust of earth returning,
Man for judgment must prepare him;
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him:

10 Lord, all pitying, Jesus blest,
Grant us Thine eternal rest.
Amen.

Amen.

Text Information

• First Line: Day of wrath! that day of mourning!
• Author: Thomas de Celano (c. 1250)
• Translator: William J. Irons (1848)
• Translator (stanza 10): Isaac Williams (1834)
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1917
• Topic: The Life Everlasting: Judgment

Tune Information

• Name: DIES IRAE, DIES ILLA
• Composer: John B. Dykes (1861)
• Meter: 8 8 8. Trochaic
• Key: d minor