Arise, My Tend’rest Thoughts, Arise

Arise, my tend’rest thoughts, arise,
To torrents melt my streaming eyes;
And thou, my heart, with anguish feel
Those evils which thou canst not heal.

See human nature sunk in shame!
See scandals poured on Jesus’ Name!
The Father wounded thro’ the Son;
The world abused, the soul undone!

See the short course of vain delight,
Closing in everlasting night—
In flames that no abatement know,
Tho’ briny tears forever flow.

My God, I feel the mournful scene!
My bowels yearn o’er dying men!
And fain my pity would reclaim
And snatch the firebrands from the flame.

Author: Philip Doddridge

Year: 1755

This hymn text by Philip Doddridge (1702–1751) first appeared posthumously in Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures (1755), edited by Job Orton. The archaic spelling and distinctive evangelical concern for souls match Doddridge’s known style; no credible alternate attributions exist.