God Comes, and Who Shall Stand Before His Fear?

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God comes, and who shall stand before His fear?

Translator: John Mason Neale (1862); Author: Saint Theodore, Studites (826)
Published in 5 hymnals

Representative Text

GOD comes;—and who shall stand before His fear?
Who bide His Presence, when He draweth near?
My soul, my soul, prepare
To kneel before Him there!

Haste,—weep,—be reconciled to Him before
The fearful judgment knocketh at the door
Where, in the judge’s eyes,
All bare and naked lies.

Have mercy, LORD, have mercy, LORD, I cry,
When with Thine angels Thou appear’st on high:
And each shall doom inherit,
According to his merit.

How can I bear Thy fearful anger, LORD?
I, that have so often transgressed Thy word?
But put my sins away,
And spare me in that day!

O miserable soul, return, lament,
Ere earthly converse end, and life be spent:
Ere, time for sorrow o’er,
The Bridegroom close the door!

Yea, I have sinned, as no man sinned beside:
With more than human guilt my soul is dyed:
But spare, and save me here,
Before that day appear!

Three Persons in One Essence uncreate,
On Whom, both Three and One, our praises wait,
Give everlasting light,
To them that sing Thy might!

Hymns of the Eastern Church, 1866

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Translator: John Mason Neale

John M. Neale's life is a study in contrasts: born into an evangelical home, he had sympathies toward Rome; in perpetual ill health, he was incredibly productive; of scholarly temperament, he devoted much time to improving social conditions in his area; often ignored or despised by his contemporaries, he is lauded today for his contributions to the church and hymnody. Neale's gifts came to expression early–he won the Seatonian prize for religious poetry eleven times while a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, England. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1842, but ill health and his strong support of the Oxford Movement kept him from ordinary parish ministry. So Neale spent the years between 1846 and 1866 as a warden of Sackvi… Go to person page >

Author: Saint Theodore, Studites

Theodore, St., of the Studium. One of the Greek hymnwriters. He was born at Constantinople, circa 759, and educated by his uncle, St. Plato. He was banished by Constantine, for his resolute refusal to acknowledge the Emperor’s illicit marriage with Theodora, in 797. On the accession of Irene (798), he was recalled, and enjoyed the favour of the Empress. In 809 he was again banished, for the old cause, refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of Constantine's marriage. Recalled once more in 811, he was imprisoned and again banished for his defence of the Icons, under Leo the Armenian. He was recalled a third time at the death of Leo, and died Nov. 11, 826 (Dr. Neale adds, "in banishment"). He succeeded his uncle, St. Plato, as Hegumen of the… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	God comes, and who shall stand before His fear?
Title:	God Comes, and Who Shall Stand Before His Fear?
Translator:	John Mason Neale (1862)
Author:	Saint Theodore, Studites (826)
Meter:	10.10.6.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain