Holy Spirit, Pity Me

Holy Spir­it! pi­ty me

Pierced with grief for griev­ing Thee;

Present

though I mourn apart

Listen to a wail­ing heart.

Sins un­num­bered I con­fess

Of ex­ceed­ing sin­ful­ness

Sins against Thy­self alone

Only to Om­nis­ci­ence known.

Deafness to Thy whis­pered calls

Rashness ’midst re­mem­bered falls

Transient fears be­neath the rod

Treacherous trif­ling with my God.

Tasting that the Lord is good

Pining then for poi­soned food;

At the fount­ains of the skies

Craving crea­ture­ly sup­plies!

Worldly cares at wor­ship time:

Groveling aims in works sub­lime;

Pride

when God is pass­ing by!

Sloth

when souls in dark­ness die!

Chilled de­vo­tions

changed de­sires

Quenched cor­rupt­ion’s ear­li­er fires:

Sins like these my heart de­ceive

Thee

who on­ly know’st them

grieve.

O how light­ly I have slept

With Thy dai­ly wrongs un­wept!

Sought Thy chid­ing to de­fer

Shunned the wound­ed Com­fort­er.

Woke to ho­ly la­bors fresh

With the plague-spot in my flesh;

Angel seemed to hu­man sight

Stood a le­per in Thy light!

Still Thy com­forts do not fail

Still Thy heal­ing aids av­ail;

Patient In­mate of my breast

Thou art grieved

yet I am blest.

O be mer­ci­ful to me

Now in bit­ter­ness for Thee!

Father

par­don through Thy Son

Sins against Thy Spir­it done!