O Lord of Life and Death

O Lord of life and death

we come

In sorrow to Thy throne;

Yet not be­wil­dered

blind and dumb

Before some pow­er unknown.

The scourge is our Fa­ther’s hand;

The plague comes forth from Thee;

Oh

give us hearts to un­der­stand

And faith Thy ways to see!

Forgive the foul ne­glect that brought

Thy chast­en­ing to our door;

The homes un­cared-for

souls un­taught

The un­re­gard­ed poor;

The sloth­ful ease

the greed of gain

The wast­ed years

for­give;

Purge out our sins by need­ful pain

Then turn

and bid us live.

So shall the lives for which we plead

Be spared to praise Thee still;

And we

from fear and dan­ger freed

Be strong to do Thy will.