Hymns, Selected and Original ‎#691

691. See, gracious God before thy throne

1 See, gracious God before thy throne;
Thy mourning people bend!
'Tis on thy sovereign grace alone
Our humble hopes depend.

2 Tremendous judgments from thy hand
Thy dreadful power display;
Yet mercy spares this guilty land,
And still we live to pray.

3 Great God, and is Columbia spar'd,
Ungrateful as we are!
O make thy awful warnings heard,
While mercy cries, 'Forbear.'

4 What land so favour'd of the skies,
As these apostate States!
Our num'rous crimes increasing rise,
Yet still thy vengeance waits.

5 How chang'd, alas! are truths divine
For error, guilt, and shame!
What impious numbers, bold in sin,
Disgrace the Christian's name!

6 Regardless of thy smile or frown,
Their pleasures they require;
And sink with gay indifference down
To everlasting fire.

7 O turn us, turn us, mighty Lord,
By thy unbounded grace;
Then shall our hearts obey thy word,
And humbly seek thy face.

8 Then should insulting foes invade,
We shall not sink in fear;
Secure of never-failing aid,
If God, our God is near.

Text Information

• First Line: See, gracious God before thy throne
• Meter: C. M.
• Publication Date: 1828
• Topic: For a Public Fast; Public and national Blessings and Afflictions
• Notes: Public Domain.

Tune Information

(No tune information)