Scripture Verse

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy. Psalm 30:10

Introduction

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Henry H. Milman (1791–1868)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Hen­ry H. Mil­man, in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Church Ser­vice of the Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 86–87, alt. Ori­gin­al first line: Lord! have mer­cy when we strive.

Music: Ma­drid (Carr) tra­di­tion­al Spa­nish me­lo­dy. Ar­ranged by Ben­ja­min Carr, 1824 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Benjamin Carr
1768–1831

Lyrics

Lord, have mercy when we pray,
Strength to seek a better way;
When our wakening thoughts begin
First to loathe their cherished sin;
When the earliest gleam is giv’n,
Of the bright but distant Heav’n,
Then Thy fostering grace afford,
Then, oh, then! Have mercy, Lord.

Lord, have mercy when we know
First how vain this world below;
When its darker thoughts oppress,
Doubts perplex, and fears distress;
Sigh for death, yet fear it still,
From the dread of future ill;
When the dim, advancing gloom
Tells us that our hour is come.

Lord, have mercy when we lie
On the restless bed, and sigh—
When our weary spirits fail,
And our aching brows are pale;
When all other hope is gone,
When our course is almost done,
When is loosed the silver cord—
Then, oh, then! have mercy, Lord.