Charles Wesley

* * *

Righteous, sin-avenging God,
To Thee what shall we say?
Dare we deprecate the rod,
Or still for respite pray?
Thou hast giv’n our sinful land
A longer, and a longer space,
But we still Thy love withstand,
And mock Thee to Thy face.

Thou in danger’s darkest hour
Didst on our side appear,
Snatch us from the wasting power
Of war and Satan near:
Whom the winds and seas obey,
Thou, Lord, Thy mighty arm didst show,
Chase the alien hosts away,
And stop th’invading foe.

Not our providence or sword
Did us from ruin save,
Our Deliverer is the Lord,
Let Him the glory have:
But alas, we have not feared
Thy power, or rendered Thee Thy due,
Have not honored, or revered
A God we never knew.

Viler still, if that can be,
We have been in Thy sight,
Scorned to give the praise to Thee,
And robbed Thee of Thy right,
Wronged Thine interposing grace,
Denied Thy providential care,
Hardened as th’Egyptian race
Thine utmost plague to dare.

What can our destruction stop,
Or now reverse our doom?
God the just must give us up,
And let the ruin come:
Lo! He whets His glittering sword,
His hand doth hold of judgment take,
Rises the almighty Lord
A guilty land to shake!

O almighty Lord, we own
Thine awful righteousness,
Make in us Thy goodness known,
Who all our sins confess,
We who tremble at the rod,
And meekly to the judgment bow,
O remember us for good
Who sue for mercy now!