University of Virginia Library


422

LXXIV. THE SAME.

Hymn 24.

[O God Thy righteousness we own]

O God Thy righteousness we own,
Judgment is at Thy house begun!
With humblest awe Thy rod we hear,
And guilty in Thy sight appear;
We cannot in Thy judgment stand,
But sink beneath Thy mighty hand.
Our mouth as in the dust we lay,
And still for mercy, mercy pray;
Unworthy to behold Thy face,
Unfaithful stewards of Thy grace,
Our sin, and wickedness we own,
And deeply for acceptance groan.
We have not, Lord, Thy gifts improved,
But basely from Thy statutes roved,
And done Thy loving Spirit despite,
And sinn'd against the clearest light;
Brought back Thine agonizing pain,
And nail'd Thee to Thy cross again.
Yet do not drive us from Thy face,
A stiff-neck'd, and hard-hearted race;
But O! in tender mercy break
The iron sinew in our neck;
The softening power of love impart,
And melt the marble of our heart.