Thou God of Love, Thou Ever Blessed

Thou God of love

Thou ev­er blest

Pity my suf­fer­ing state;

When wilt Thou set my soul at rest

From lips that love de­ceit?

Hard lot of mine! My days are cast

Among the sons of strife

Whose nev­er ceas­ing brawl­ings waste

My golde­n hours of life.

O might I fly to change my place

How would I choose to dwell

In some wide lone­some wil­der­ness

And leave these gates of hell!

Peace is the bless­ing that I seek

How love­ly are its charms!

I am for peace; but when I speak

They all de­clare for arms.

New pass­ions still their souls en­gage

And keep their mal­ice strong:

What shall be done to curb thy rage

O thou de­vour­ing tongue!

Should burn­ing arrows smite thee thro’

Strict jus­tice would ap­prove;

But I had ra­ther spare my foe

And melt his heart with love.