Scripture Verse

Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15

Introduction

illustration

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems (Bris­tol, Eng­land: Fe­lix Far­ley et al., 1742), pag­es 150–51.

Music: Be­ne­ven­to ar­ranged from Sam­uel Webbe, Sr., 1792 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

Lord, and am I yet al­ive?
Not in tor­ments, not in hell!
Still doth Thy good Spir­it strive,
With the chief of sinn­ers dwell!
Yes, I still lift up my eyes,
Will not of Thy love des­pair,
Still in spite of sin I rise,
Still to call Thee mine I dare.

O the length and breadth of love!
Jesus, Sav­ior, can it be?
All Thy mer­cy’s height I prove,
All its depth, is seen in me!
O the mir­acle of grace!
Tell it out, to sin­ners tell!
Fiends, and men, and an­gels gaze,
I am, I am out of hell!

Turn aside, a sight t’admire,
I the liv­ing won­der am!
See a bush that burns with fire,
Unconsumed amidst the flame!
See a stone that hangs in air!
See a spark in oceans dwell!
Kept alive with death so near,
I am, I am, out of hell!