My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee; and I am afraid of Thy judgments.
Psalm 119:120
Words: John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779), Book 3, number 6. The burdened sinner.
Music: Old 104th in the Whole Book of Psalmes, by Thomas Ravenscroft, 1621 (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tunes:
Ah, what can I do,
Or where be secure?
If justice pursue,
What heart can endure?
When God speaks in thunder
And makes Himself known,
The heart breaks asunder,
Though hard as a stone.
With terror I read
My sins’ heavy score,
The number exceeds
The sands on the shore;
Guilt makes me unable
To stand or to flee,
So Cain murdered Abel,
And trembled like me.
Each sin, like his blood,
With terrible cry,
Calls loudly on God
To strike from on high:
Nor can my repentance,
Extorted by fear,
Reverse the just sentence;
’Tis just, though severe.
The case is too plain,
I have my own choice;
Again, and again,
I slighted His voice;
His warnings neglected,
His patience abused,
His Gospel rejected,
His mercy refused.
And must I then go,
Forever to dwell
In torments and woe
With devils in hell?
Oh where is the Savior
I scorned in times past?
His word in my favor
Would save me at last.
Lord Jesus, on Thee
I venture to call,
Oh look upon me,
The vilest of all!
For whom didst Thou languish
And bleed on the tree?
Oh pity my anguish,
And say, ’Twas for thee.
A case such as mine
Will honor Thy power;
All hell will repine,
All Heav’n will adore;
If in condemnation
Strict justice takes place,
It shines in salvation
More glorious through grace.