Hark to the Crying!

Oh

hark to the cry­ing!

The na­tions are dy­ing

The na­tions of earth

In their fa­thom­less woe!

Oh

hark to the groan­ing:

All na­ture is moan­ing;

Unceasing the ang­uish

Unending its flow.

Oh

haste where they lang­uish

In blind­ness and ang­uish

Soul-sick and soul-hun­gry

In mad­ness and strife;

And tell the glad sto­ry

Of par­don and glo­ry

Of heal­ing and beau­ty

And full­ness of life.

There’s a tree of God’s plant­ing

With leaf­age en­chant­ing

That cures all earth’s mad­ness

And blind­ness

and care;

And with pow­er su­per­nal

With pi­ty eter­nal

He of­fers this balm

For her pain and des­pair.

The na­tions are cry­ing

Yes

fall­ing and dy­ing!

Oh

hast­en to tell

Of the life-giv­ing tree

Which grows by the river

That flow­eth for­ev­er

From the throne of God’s mer­cy

Abundant and free.