1 O God, Thy righteousness we own,
Laid by Thy threatening judgments low,
Beneath a nation’s load we groan,
And more than share the common woe,
The common woe, so long delayed
Which bursts in thunder on our head.
2 Warned by Thy Spirit’s gracious call
We looked for this vindictive day;
And still we at Thy footstool fall,
And still we weep, and watch, and pray:
Hear, Jesu, hear our mournful prayer,
And spare, the sinful nation spare.
3 Why should they still be stricken, Lord,
When all Thy strokes are spent in vain?
They will not see the invading sword,
But dare Thy lifted arm again,
And deep revolting more and more,
Defy Thine anger’s utmost power.
4 Still they provoke Thy glorious eyes,
And scorn Thy outstretched arm to fear,
Thy gracious calls they still despise,
And vex Thy faithful servants here,
And hunt to death the righteous soul,
And make their guilty measure full.
5 Though twice ten thousand souls are fled
With pain to their eternal home,
The rest disdain Thy wrath to dread,
And eager for their instant doom,
With pharaoh’s rage pursue Thy sheep,
And rush into the hellish deep.
6 Yet for the honor of Thy love
The people of Thy wrath forbear,
Their sin and punishment remove,
The fury and the waste of war;
Pluck from the fire, almighty God,
And quench the brands in Jesus’ blood!
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #11477
Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >
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