1254 L. M. National judgments deprecated.
While o’er our guilty land, O Lord, We view the terrors of thy sword; O! whither shall the helpless fly; To whom but thee direct their cry?
2 The helpless sinner’s cries and tears Are grown familiar to thy ears; Oft has thy mercy sent relief, When all was fear and hopeless grief.
3 On thee, our guardian God, we call; Before thy throne of grace we fall; And is there no deliverance there, And must we perish in despair?
4 See, we repent, we weep, we mourn, To our forsaken God we turn; O spare our guilty country, spare The church which thou hast planted here.
5 We plead thy grace, indulgent God; We plead thy Son’s atoning blood; We plead thy gracious promises; And are they unavailing pleas?
6 These pleas, presented at thy throne, Have brought ten thousand blessings down On guilty lands in helpless woe; Let them prevail to save us too.
1255 L. M. Public humiliation.
Great Maker of unnumbered worlds, And whom unnumbered worlds adore, Whose goodness all thy creatures share, While nature trembles at thy power,—
2 Thine is the hand that moves the spheres, That wakes the wind, and lifts the sea; And man who moves, the lord of earth, Acts but the part assigned by thee.
3 While suppliant crowds implore thy aid, To thee we raise the humble cry; Thy altar is the contrite heart, Thy incense, the repentant sigh.
4 O may our land, in this her hour, Confess thy hand and bless the rod, By penitence make thee her Friend, And find in thee a guardian God.
1256 L. M. Confession and prayer.
O may the power which melts the rock, Be felt by all assembled here! Or else our service will but mock The God whom we profess to fear.
2 Lord, while thy judgments shake the land, Thy people’s eyes are fixed on thee! We own thy just, uplifted hand, Which thousands can not, will not see.
3 How long hast thou bestowed thy care On this indulged, ungrateful spot; While other nations, far and near, Have envied and admired our lot.
4 Here peace and liberty have dwelt, The glorious gospel brightly shone; And oft our enemies have felt That God has made our cause his own.
5 But, ah! both heaven and earth have heard Our vile requital of his love! We, whom like children he has reared, Against his goodness rebels prove.
6 His grace despised, his power defied, And legions of the blackest crimes, Profaneness, riot, lust and pride, Are signs that mark the present times.
7 The Lord, displeased, hath raised his rod; Ah, where are now the faithful few, Who tremble for the ark of God, And know what Israel ought to do?
8 Lord, hear thy people everywhere, Who meet to mourn, confess and pray; The nation and thy churches spare, And let thy wrath be turned away.
1257 L. P. M. For all that are in authority. 1 Tim. 2:2.
Lord! thou hast bid thy people pray For all who bear the sovereign sway, And as thy servants rule and reign; Ordained by thee, these ruling powers; Behold! in faith we pray for ours; Nor let us for them pray in vain.
2 Our rulers with thy favor bless; ’Stablish their seats in righteousness, Let wisdom ever hold the helm; The counsels of our senates guide; Let justice in our courts preside; Rule thou! and guard our widespread realm.
1258 L. M. He maketh wars to cease. Psalm 46:9.
O God of love! O King of peace! Make wars throughout the world to cease; The wrath of sinful man restrain; Give peace, O God! give peace again.
2 Remember, Lord! thy works of old, The wonders that our father’s told, Remember not our sins’ dark stain; Give peace, O God! give peace again.
3 Whom shall we trust but thee, O Lord! Where rest but on thy faithful word? None ever called on thee in vain; Give peace, O God! give peace again.
4 Where saints and angels dwell above, All hearts are knit in holy love; O bind us in that heavenly chain; Give peace, O God! give peace again.
1259 L. P. M. Be instructed ye judges of the earth. Psalm 2:10.
Judges, who rule the world by laws, Will ye despise the righteous cause, When the oppressed before you stands? Dare ye condemn the righteous poor, And let rich sinners go secure, While gold and greatness bribe your hands?
2 Have ye forgot, or never knew, That God will judge the judges, too? High in the heavens his justice reigns; Yet you invade the rights of God, And send your bold decrees abroad, To bind the conscience in your chains!
3 The Almighty thunders from the sky— Their grandeur melts, their titles die— They perish like dissolving frost; As empty chaff, when whirlwinds rise, Before the sweeping tempest flies, So shall their hopes and names be lost.