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 judgment stand,
But sink beneath Thy mighty hand.
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.
We have not, Lord, Thy gifts improved,
But basely from Thy statutes roved,
And done Thy loving Spirit spite,
And sinned against the clearest light,
Brought back Thy agonizing pain,
And nailed Thee to Thy cross again.
Yet do not drive us from Thy face,
A stiff-necked and hard-hearted race;
But oh! in tender mercy break
The iron sinew in our neck;
The softening power of love impart,
And melt the marble of our heart.