Behold with Pleasing Ecstasy

Behold with pleas­ing ec­sta­sy

The Gos­pel stand­ard lift­ed high

That all the na­tions from afar

May in the great sal­va­tion share!

Why then

al­migh­ty Sav­ior

why

Do wretch­ed souls in mill­ions die?

While wide th’in­fer­nal ty­rant reigns

O’er spa­cious realms in pon­der­ous chains?

And shall he still go on to boast

Thy cross its en­er­gy hath lost?

And shall Thy serv­ants still com­plain

Their la­bors

and their tears are vain?

Awake

all con­quer­ing arm

awake

And hell’s ex­ten­sive em­pire shake;

Assert the hon­ors of Thy throne

And call this ru­ined world Thine won.

Thine all suc­cess­ful pow­er di­splay;

Produce a na­tion in a day;

For at Thy word this bar­ren earth

Shall tra­vail with a ge­ne­ral birth.

Sift let Thy quick­en­ing Spir­it breathe

On these abodes of sin and death!

That breath shall bow ten thou­sand minds

Like wav­ing corn be­fore the winds.

Scarce can our glow­ing hearts en­dure

A world

where Thou art known no more;

Transform it

Lord

by con­quer­ing love;

Or bear us to the realms ab­ove.