Scripture Verse

Enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. Psalm 143:2

Introduction

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John M. Neale (1818–1866)
Wikipedia

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Words: Jo­seph the Hym­no­gra­pher, cir­ca 860 (Τῶν ἁμαρ­τῶν μου τὴν πληῦν). Trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, Hymns of the East­ern Church, 1862.

Music: St. Bride Sam­uel How­ard, 1762 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Joseph the Hymnographer (?–883)

Origin of the Hymn

This is the op­en­ing line of a cen­to ta­ken from a long Can­on for the Mon­day of the First Tone in the Pa­ra­cle­ti­ce. It is vir­tu­al­ly, as com­piled by Dr. Neale, a new po­em, rep­re­sent­ing neit­her the form nor the idea of the orig­in­al.

Julian, p. 1181

Lyrics

And wilt Thou par­don, Lord,
A sin­ner such as I,
Although Thy book his crimes re­cord,
Of such a crim­son dye?

So deep are they en­graved,
So ter­ri­ble their fear,
The right­eous scarce­ly shall be saved,
And where shall I ap­pear?

O Thou Phy­si­cian blest,
Make clean my guil­ty soul
And me, by ma­ny a sin op­pressed,
Restore and keep me whole.

I know not how to praise
Thy mer­cy and Thy love;
But deign my soul from earth to raise
And learn from Thee above.