Scripture Verse

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy unfailing love. Psalm 51:1

Introduction

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitt­sburgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 140.

Music: Red­head Ri­chard Red­head, Church Hymn Tunes, An­cient and Mo­dern (Lon­don: 1853) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Richard Redhead (1820–1901)

Lyrics

God, be mer­ci­ful to me,
On Thy grace I rest my plea;
Plenteous in com­pas­sion Thou,
Blot out my trans­gress­ions now;
Wash me, make me pure with­in,
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My trans­gress­ions I con­fess,
Grief and guilt my soul op­press;
I have sinned against Thy grace
And pro­voked Thee to Thy face;
I con­fess Thy judg­ment just,
Speechless, I Thy mer­cy trust.

I am ev­il, born in sin;
Thou de­sir­est truth with­in.
Thou alone my Sav­ior art,
Teach Thy wis­dom to my heart;
Make me pure, Thy grace be­stow,
Wash me whit­er than the snow.

Broken, hum­bled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judg­ment just,
Let my con­trite heart re­joice
And in glad­ness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face,
Blot them out in bound­less grace.

Gracious God, my heart re­new,
Make my spi­rit right and true;
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy Spi­rit dwell in me;
Thy salv­at­ion’s joy im­part,
Steadfast make my will­ing heart.

Sinners then shall learn from me
And re­turn, O God, to Thee;
Savior, all my guilt re­move,
And my tongue shall sing Thy love;
Touch my si­lent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise ac­cord.