My sin was very great,
Its burden bore me down;
I dared not lift my eyes to God,
So much I feared His frown;
And sore my conscience smote,
And all was sad within,
For I had turned away from God
Who loved me in my sin.

I said "I'll tell it all,
The sin, the grief, the pain,
Mayhap He'll pardon my offence,
And take me back again."
And then my heart was glad,
To think it might be done,
If I but cast myself upon
The merits of His Son.

I said "Ah, God, receive
The sacrifice I bring,--
A broken and a contrite heart,
That is my offering;
And for His sake Who came
To bear the Cross of pain,
Forgive the error of my life,
And take me back again."

'Twas then the heart of love
That I had wounded sore,
In loving accents spake to me,
And bade me sin no more;
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And spake the word of grace
That made my spirit whole;
And now the pain and grief are gone,
For gladness fills my soul.