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HAVE MERCY ON US, GOD MOST HIGH

Scripture Verse

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. Psalm 90:2

Introduction

portrait
Frederick Faber
(1814–1863)

Words: Fred­er­ick W. Fa­ber, Je­sus and Ma­ry (Lon­don: James Burns, 1849), pag­es 1–5.

Music: St. Fla­vi­an Day’s Psal­ter, 1563 (🔊 ).

Lyrics

Have mer­cy on us, God most high,
Have mer­cy upon me,
Have mer­cy on us worms of earth,
Most ho­ly Tri­ni­ty!

Most an­cient of all mys­ter­ies!
Before Thy throne we lie;
Have mer­cy now, most mer­ci­ful,
Most ho­ly Tri­ni­ty!

When heav­en and earth were yet un­made,
When time was yet un­known,
Thou in Thy bliss and ma­jes­ty
Didst live and love alone!

Thou wert not born, there was no fount
From which Thy Be­ing flowed;
There is no end which Thou canst reach;
But Thou art simp­ly God.

How won­der­ful cre­ation is,
The work that Thou didst bless;
And oh! what then must Thou be like,
Eternal Love­li­ness?

How beau­ti­ful the an­gels are,
The saints how bright in bliss;
But with Thy beau­ty, Lord! com­pared,
How dull, how poor is this!

O list­en, then, most pi­ti­ful,
To Thy poor crea­ture’s heart:
It bless­es Thee that Thou art God;
That Thou art what Thou art!

Most an­cient of all mys­ter­ies!
Still at Thy throne we lie;
Have mer­cy now, most mer­ci­ful,
Most ho­ly Tri­ni­ty.