Look down from Heaven, and behold from the habitation of Thy holiness and of Thy glory: where is Thy zeal and Thy strength, the sounding of Thy bowels and of Thy mercies toward me? Are they restrained?
Isaiah 63:15
Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems (Bristol, England: Felix Farley, 1742), pages 12–14.
Music: Song 34 (Gibbons) Orlando Gibbons, 1623 (🔊 pdf nwc).
God of eternal majesty,
High as Thou art, from Heaven look down,
Holy, and just, we cry to Thee,
Behold us from Thy glorious throne!
Where is Thy strength to conquer sin?
Thy zeal to save a fallen race?
Thy bowels sounding from within?
Thy mercies, and Thy pardoning grace?
Thy pity, and paternal care,
The tender yearnings of Thy heart,
Are they restrained? Is fury there?
Ah no! Thou still our Father art.
Doubtless Thou art our Father still,
Though Abraham his seed disowns
Debased by sin, though Israel
Renounces his degenerate sons.
Our Lord, and our Redeemer now
Thou art, and will be still the same,
Our everlasting Father Thou;
Jehovah is Thy glorious name.
Why then, O Lord, if ours Thou art,
Why hast Thou suffered us to rove?
Withdrawn Thy Spirit from our heart,
And left us to our want of love?
Why hast Thou hid Thy lovely face,
And caused us from Thy paths to err?
Abandoned by restraining grace
Our hearts were hardened from Thy fear.
Yet, Lord, for Thee again we mourn,
Now let our prayers Thine aid engage,
Now for Thy servant’s sake return,
And cheer Thy drooping heritage.
The land we fondly deemed our own
(Alas, how short a time enjoyed!)
Our adversaries have o’erthrown,
And trampled on the house of God.
Yet we are Thine, though dispossessed,
And outcasts from the promised land,
They never have Thy sway confessed,
Or yielded to Thy just command.
We, we are called by Thy great name,
Accept our plea, Thine ear incline,
Thine, Lord, we are, renew Thy claim,
Receive, and seal us ever Thine.