When Israel Sins, the Lord Reproves

When Is­ra­el sins

the Lord re­proves

And fills their hearts with dread;

Yet He for­gives the men He loves

And sends them heav’n­ly bread.

He fed them with a lib­er­al hand

And made His trea­sures known;

He gave the mid­night clouds com­mand

To pour pro­vi­sion down.

The man­na

like a morn­ing show­er

Lay thick around their feet

The corn of Heav’n

so light

so pure

As though ’twere an­gels’ meat.

But they in mur­mur­ing lang­uage said

Manna is all our feast;

We loathe this light

this airy bread;

We must have flesh to taste.

Ye shall have flesh to please your lust

The Lord in wrath re­plied

And sent them quails like sand or dust

Heaped up from side to side.

He gave them all their own de­sire

And gree­dy as they fed

His ven­geance burnt with sec­ret fire

And smote the re­bels dead.

When some were slain

the rest re­turned

And sought the Lord with tears;

Under the rod they feared and mourned

But soon for­got their fears.

Oft He chas­tised and still fo­rgave

Till

by His gra­cious hand

The na­tion He re­solved to save

Possessed the pro­mised land.