O God, Thy Righteousness We Own (2)

O God

Thy right­eous­ness we own

Laid by Thy threat­en­ing judg­ments low

Beneath a na­tion’s load we groan

And more than share the com­mon woe

The com­mon woe

so long de­layed

Which bursts in thun­der on our head.

Warned by Thy Spir­it’s gra­cious call

We looked for this vin­dic­tive day;

And still we at Thy foot­stool fall

And still we weep

and watch

and pray:

Hear

Je­su

hear our mourn­ful pray­er

And spare

the sin­ful na­tion spare.

Why should they still be strick­en

Lord

When all Thy strokes are spent in vain?

They will not see the in­vad­ing sword

But dare Thy lift­ed arm again

And deep re­volt­ing more and more

Defy Thine an­ger’s ut­most pow­er.

Still they pro­voke Thy glo­ri­ous eyes

And scorn Thy out­stretched arm to fear

Thy gra­cious calls they still des­pise

And vex Thy faith­ful serv­ants here

And hunt to death the right­eous soul

And make their guil­ty mea­sure full.

Though twice ten thou­sand souls are fled

With pain to their eter­nal home

The rest dis­dain Thy wrath to dread

And ea­ger for their in­stant doom

With pha­raoh’s rage pur­sue Thy sheep

And rush in­to the hell­ish deep.

Yet for the hon­or of Thy love

The peo­ple of Thy wrath for­bear

Their sin and pun­ish­ment re­move

The fu­ry and the waste of war;

Pluck from the fire

al­migh­ty God

And quench the brands in Je­sus’ blood!