Scripture Verse

…the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Romans 2:5

Introduction

portrait
Henry J. E. Holmes 1852–1938

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns for Times of Trou­ble and Per­se­cu­tion, se­cond edi­tion, en­larged (Lon­don: Stra­han, 1744), pag­es 54–55.

Music: Pa­ter Om­ni­um Hen­ry J. E. Holmes, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!