Long has di­vine com­pass­ion strove
With this re­bel­lious land;
O jus­tice, long has plead­ing love
Withheld thy dread­ful hand.

At lengths, ye peo­ple, lift your eyes,
Your crimes no more pur­sue;
Behold the ga­ther­ing tem­pest rise,
And trem­ble at the view!

See, fraught with ven­geance, how it spreads!
To mer­cy in­stant fly;
E’er yet it burst up­on your heads,
Repent, re­pent—or die.

Late rag­ing storm, ’twas mer­cy stayed,
Her voice de­struct­ion heard,
Th’impetuous winds her voice ob­eyed,
And aw­ful jus­tice spared.

Shall ev­ery warn­ing be in vain
Your ru­in to pre­vent?
Indulgent mer­cy calls again,
Return, re­pent! re­pent!

The voice, ye peo­ple, hear with awe,
O hear, and turn to God;
Lest mer­cy, long ab­used, with­draw,
And leave you to the rod.

Almighty God, Thy pow­er­ful grace
Can change us, and for­give;
Can save a guil­ty re­bel race,
And say, Re­pent, and live.

O let Thy pow­er­ful grace ap­pear,
And jus­tice sheath her sword;
Then shall a res­cued na­tion fear
And love and praise the Lord.