Lord, Have Mercy When We Pray

Lord

have mer­cy when we pray

Strength to seek a bet­ter way;

When our wak­en­ing thoughts be­gin

First to loathe their cher­ished sin;

When the ear­li­est gleam is giv’n

Of the bright but dist­ant Heav’n

Then Thy fos­ter­ing grace af­ford

Then

oh

then! Have mer­cy

Lord.

Lord

have mer­cy when we know

First how vain this world be­low;

When its dark­er thoughts op­press

Doubts per­plex

and fears dis­tress;

Sigh for death

yet fear it still

From the dread of fu­ture ill;

When the dim

adv­anc­ing gloom

Tells us that our hour is come.

Lord

have mer­cy when we lie

On the rest­less bed

and sigh—

When our wea­ry spir­its fail

And our ach­ing brows are pale;

When all oth­er hope is gone

When our course is al­most done

When is loosed the sil­ver cord—

Then

oh

then! have mer­cy

Lord.