1 O GOD, thy righteousness we own,
Judgment is at thy house begun
With humble awe thy rod we hear,
And guilty in thy sight appear,
We cannot in thy judgement stand,
But sink beneath thy mighty hand.
2 Our mouth as in the dust we lay,
And still for mercy, mercy, pray;
Unworthy to behold thy face,
Unfaithful stewards of thy grace,
Our sin and wickedness we own,
And deeply for acceptance groan.
3 We have not, Lord, thy gifts improved,
But basely from thy statutes roved,
And done thy loving Spirit despite,
And sinned against the clearest light
Brought back thy agonizing pain,
And nailed thee to thy cross again.
4 Yet do not drive us from thy face,
A stiff-necked and hard-hearted race;
But O! in tender mercy break
The iron sinew in our neck;
The softening power of love impart,
And melt the marble of our heart.