The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

God of awful majesty,
Thy glorious name we praise;
Known are all Thy works to Thee
Of judgment, and of grace:
In Thine only breast it lies
To raise or sink, revive or slay:
Wilt Thou yet again chastise,
Or turn Thy wrath away?

Vengeance on Thy foes to take
Hast Thou in anger sworn?
Sworn again our earth to shake,
And from its base o'erturn?
Surely then to Abraham's seed
Thou shalt reveal the wrath to come,
Speak the punishment decreed,
And warn us of our doom.

But if so Thy will ordain
Its close design to hide,
Let us in Thy work remain,
And in Thy love abide;
Stand for all events prepared,
With patience arm'd and godly fear;
Stand for ever on our guard,
Till Thy great arm appear.

Blessed are the servants, Lord,
Whom Thou shalt watching find,
Hanging on Thy faithful word,
And to Thy will resign'd;
Safe amidst the darts of death,
Secure they rest in all alarms,
Sure their Lord hath spread beneath
His everlasting arms.

Should the earth this moment cleave,
And swallow up the just,
Jesus would their souls receive,
And guard their sleeping dust:
Though their dust the whirlwind sweep
To earth's profoundest centre driven,
Soon, emerging from the deep,
They rise, they mount to heaven!

University of Virginia Library

HYMN IV.

[God of awful majesty]