1 Righteous, sin-avenging God,
To Thee what shall we say?
Dare we deprecate the rod,
Or still for respite pray?
Thou hast giv’n our sinful land
A longer, and a longer space,
But we still Thy love withstand,
And mock Thee to Thy face.
2 Thou in danger’s darkest hour
Didst on our side appear,
Snatch us from the wasting power
Of war and Satan near:
Whom the winds and seas obey,
Thou, Lord, Thy mighty arm didst show,
Chase the alien hosts away,
And stop th’invading foe.
3 Not our providence or sword
Did us from ruin save,
Our Deliverer is the Lord,
Let Him the glory have:
But alas, we have not feared
Thy power, or rendered Thee Thy due,
Have not honored, or revered
A God we never knew.
4 Viler still, if that can be,
We have been in Thy sight,
Scorned to give the praise to Thee,
And robbed Thee of Thy right,
Wronged Thine interposing grace,
Denied Thy providential care,
Hardened as th’Egyptian race
Thine utmost plague to dare.
5 What can our destruction stop,
Or now reverse our doom?
God the just must give us up,
And let the ruin come:
Lo! He whets His glittering sword,
His hand doth hold of judgment take,
Rises the almighty Lord
A guilty land to shake!
6 O almighty Lord, we own
Thine awful righteousness,
Make in us Thy goodness known,
Who all our sins confess,
We who tremble at the rod,
And meekly to the judgment bow,
O remember us for good
Who sue for mercy now!
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #9107
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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