Ballads for the Times (Now first collected,) Geraldine, A Modern Pyramid, Bartenus, A Thousand Lines, and other poems. By Martin F. Tupper. A new Edition, enlarged and revised |
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A Prayer for the Land.
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 | Ballads for the Times |  |
102
A Prayer for the Land.
August 6, 1848.
Almighty Father! hearken,—
Forgive, and help, and bless,
Nor let thine anger darken
The night of our distress;
As sin and shame and weakness
Are all we call our own,
We turn to Thee in meekness,
And trust on Thee alone.
Forgive, and help, and bless,
Nor let thine anger darken
The night of our distress;
As sin and shame and weakness
Are all we call our own,
We turn to Thee in meekness,
And trust on Thee alone.
O God, remember Zion,—
And pardon all her sin!
Thy mercy we rely on
To rein Thy vengeance in:
Though dark pollution staineth
The temple Thou hast built,
Thy faithfulness remaineth,—
And that shall cleanse the guilt!
And pardon all her sin!
Thy mercy we rely on
To rein Thy vengeance in:
Though dark pollution staineth
The temple Thou hast built,
Thy faithfulness remaineth,—
And that shall cleanse the guilt!
To Thee, then, Friend All-seeing,
Great source of grace and love,
In whom we have our being,
In whom we live and move,—
Jerusalem, obeying
Thy tender word, “Draw near,”
Would come securely, praying
In penitence and fear.
Great source of grace and love,
In whom we have our being,
In whom we live and move,—
Jerusalem, obeying
Thy tender word, “Draw near,”
Would come securely, praying
In penitence and fear.
103
Thou knowest, Lord, the peril
Our ill deserts have wrought,
If earth for us is sterile
And all our labour nought!
Alas,—our righteous wages
Are famine, plague, and sword,
Unless Thy wrath assuages
In mercy, gracious Lord!
Our ill deserts have wrought,
If earth for us is sterile
And all our labour nought!
Alas,—our righteous wages
Are famine, plague, and sword,
Unless Thy wrath assuages
In mercy, gracious Lord!
For lo! we know Thy terrors
Throughout the world are rife,
Seditions, frenzies, errors,
Perplexities and strife!
Thy woes are on the nations,
And Thou dost scatter them,—
Yet heed the supplications
Of Thy Jerusalem!
Throughout the world are rife,
Seditions, frenzies, errors,
Perplexities and strife!
Thy woes are on the nations,
And Thou dost scatter them,—
Yet heed the supplications
Of Thy Jerusalem!
Truth, Lord, we are unworthy,
Unwise, untrue, unjust,
Our souls and minds are earthy,
And cleaving to the dust:
But pour Thy graces o'er us,
And quicken us at heart,—
Make straight Thy way before us,
And let us not depart!
Unwise, untrue, unjust,
Our souls and minds are earthy,
And cleaving to the dust:
But pour Thy graces o'er us,
And quicken us at heart,—
Make straight Thy way before us,
And let us not depart!
Turn us, that we may fear Thee,
And worship day by day,—
Draw us, that we draw near Thee,
To honour and obey;
Be with us all in trouble,
And, as our Saviour still,
Lord, recompense us double
With good for all our ill!
And worship day by day,—
Draw us, that we draw near Thee,
To honour and obey;
104
And, as our Saviour still,
Lord, recompense us double
With good for all our ill!
Though we deserve not pity,
Yet, Lord, all bounty yield,—
All blessings in the city,
And blessings in the field,
On folded flocks and cattle,
On basket and on store,
In peace, and in the battle,
All blessings evermore!
Yet, Lord, all bounty yield,—
All blessings in the city,
And blessings in the field,
On folded flocks and cattle,
On basket and on store,
In peace, and in the battle,
All blessings evermore!
All good for earth and heaven!—
For we are bold to plead
As through thy Son forgiven,
And in Him sons indeed!
Yea, Father! as possessing
In Thee our Father-God,
Give, give us every blessing,
And take away Thy rod!
For we are bold to plead
As through thy Son forgiven,
And in Him sons indeed!
Yea, Father! as possessing
In Thee our Father-God,
Give, give us every blessing,
And take away Thy rod!
| Ballads for the Times | |