Scripture Verse

Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth..No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:6,11

Introduction

portrait
Paul B. Henkel
1754–1825

Words: Paul B. Hen­kel, Church Hymn Book (New Mar­ket, Vir­gin­ia: So­lo­mon Hen­kel, 1816), num­ber 157, alt. Note: The 1816 edi­tion of this hym­nal does not name the au­thor. Paul Hen­kel’s son, Am­brose Hen­kel, iden­ti­fies his fa­ther as the au­thor by a dou­ble dag­ger symb­ol (‡) in the 1838 edi­tion, page 440.

Music: Wind­sor Chris­to­pher Tye, 1533. Ar­ranged in the Booke of Mu­sicke, by Will­iam Daman, 1591 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Tye (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Hen­kel,

Lyrics

Have mercy Lord, on us we pray,
Thy grace to us reveal;
O turn Thy plagues from us away
Tho’ we deserve them well.

Thy punishments are justly due,
And answer to our crimes!
And we are made to feel them too,
In these distressing times.

Lord, what destruction death has made,
How has it swept our towns;
So many numbered with the dead,
In neighboring places round.

Death visits us in all our homes,
And there makes his abode:
And hurries mortals to their tombs,
That sink beneath his load.

Well may we sorrow, weep and mourn,
And pray with all our heart:
That God in mercy may return,
And bid our plagues depart.