Great God, how oft did Is­ra­el prove
By turns Thine an­ger and Thy love?
There in a glass our hearts may see
How fic­kle and how false they be.

How soon the faith­less Jews for­got
The dread­ful won­ders God had wrought!
Then they pro­voke Him to His face,
Nor fear His pow­er, nor trust His grace.

The Lord con­sumed their years in pain,
And made their tra­vels long and vain;
A te­di­ous march through un­known ways
Wore out their strength, and spent their days.

Oft when they saw their breth­ren slain
They mourned, and sought the Lord again;
Called Him the Rock of their abode,
Their high Re­deem­er, and their God.

Their pray­ers and vows be­fore Him rise
As flat­ter­ing words or so­lemn lies,
While their re­bel­li­ous tem­pers prove
False to His co­ve­nant and His love.

Yet did His so­ver­eign grace for­give
The men who not de­served to live;
His an­ger oft away He turned,
Or else with gen­tle flame it burned.

He saw their flesh was weak and frail,
He saw temp­ta­tions still pre­vail;
The God of Ab­ra­ham loved them still,
And led them to His ho­ly hill.