1 SHOW pity, Lord! O Lord, forgive; Let a repenting sinner live:
Are not thy mercies large and free?
May not the contrite trust in thee?
2 A broken heart, my God! my King! Is all the offering I can bring;
The God of grace will ne'er despise
A broken heart for sacrifice.
1 FORGIVE US for thy mercy's sake,
Our multitude of sins forgive!
And for thy own possession take,
And bid us to thy glory live:
Live in thy sight, and gladly prove
Our faith by our obedient love.
2 The covenant of forgiveness seal,
And all thy mighty wonders show!
Our hidden enemies expel,
And conquering them to conquer go,
Till all of pride and sin be slain,
And not one evil thought remain.
3 0, put it in our inward parts,
The living law of perfect love!
Write the new precept on our hearts;
We shall not then from thee remove,
But in thy glorious image shine,
Thy people, and for ever thine.
1 SEARCHER of hearts, before thy face
I all my soul display;
And, conscious of its innate arts,
Entreat thy strict survey.
2 If, lurking in its inmost folds,
I any sin conceal,
O, let a ray of light divine
The secret guile reveal.
3 If tinctured with that odious gall
Unknowing I remain,
Let grace, like a pure
Wash out the hateful stain.
4 To humble penitence and prayer
Be gentle pity given;
Speak ample pardon to my heart,
And grant an inward heaven.
1 BLEST Instructor, from thy ways
Who can tell how oft he strays?
Purge me from the guilt that lies
Wrapt within my heart's disguise.
2 Let my tongue, from error free,
Speak the words approved by thee;
To thine all-observing eyes
Let our thoughts accepted rise.
3 While I thus thy name adore,
And thy healing grace implore,
Blest Redeemer! bow thine ear;
God, my strength! propitious hear.
1 FATHER, when in dust to thee
Low we bow the adoring knee;
When, repentant, to the skies
Scarce we lift our streaming eyes;
O, by all the pain and woe
Suffered by thy Son below,
Bending from thy throne on high,
Hear our solemn litany.
2 By his birth and early years,
By his human griefs and fears,
By his fasting and distress
In the lonely wilderness,
By his victory in the hour
Of the subtle tempter's power;
Father, look with pitying eye;
Hear our solemn litany.
3 By his hour of dark despair,
By his agony of prayer,
By his purple robe of scorn,
By his wounds and crown of thorn,
By his cross, his pangs and cries,
By his perfect sacrifice;
Father, look with pitying eye;
Hear our solemn litany.
1 EARTH has a joy unknown in heaven, The new-born peace of sin forgiven! Tears of such pure and deep delight, Ye angels! never dimmed your sight.
2 Ye saw, of old, on chaos rise
The beauteous pillars of the skies:
Ye know where morn, exulting, springs
And evening folds her drooping wings.
3 Bright heralds of the Eternal Will,
Abroad his errands ye fulfil;
Or, throned in floods of beamy day,
Symphonious in his presence play.
4 But I amid your choirs shall shine,
And all your knowledge will be mine:
Ye on your harps must lean to hear
A secret chord that mine will bear.
1 'Tis not Thy chastening hand I fear,
For that is love and mercy still;
I know to Thee thy child is dear,
Howe'er I wander from thy will;
I fear not that Thou shouldst depart,
Only that I should close my heart;
Thy love hath ever flowed to me,
But I am cold and false to thee.
2 O, give me then an earnest heart,
Another's woes more prompt to feel,
And let my wounds more keenly smart,
If but another's I may heal;
Be it through want, or woe, or pain,
But draw me to thyself again,
And let me feel my sins forgiven;
I dwell with Thee, and thus in heaven.
1 COULD we but hear all nature's voice, From glowworm up to sun,
'T would speak in one concordant sound, Thy will, O God, be done!
2 But hark! a sadder, mightier prayer, From all men's hearts that live: Thy will be done in earth and heaven, And thou my sins forgive!
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