Scripture Verse

If I send pestilence among My people, if My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13–14

Introduction

portrait
The Angel of Death
Jules Gabriel Levasseur (1823–1907), after Jules-Élie Delaunay (1828–1891)
Wikimedia Commons

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: Bu­rton & Briggs, 1818), num­ber 739, alt. Time of Ge­ner­al Sick­ness.

Music: Che­shire Es­te’s Psal­ter, 1592 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bed­dome (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

The Lord in judg­ment now ap­pears,
And spreads His wrath abroad;
See sin­ners filled with guil­ty fears,
By right­eous ven­geance awed.

Seized by in­cu­ra­ble dis­ease,
What crowds of vic­tims fall;
Unsparing death re­lent­less preys,
Nor spares the great or small.

Lord, we our sin and guilt con­fess,
Yet mer­cy would im­plore:
To mi­ti­gate our sore dis­tress,
Display Thy migh­ty pow­er.

Say, ’Tis enough, and give com­mand,
Disease shall then re­tire,
And ro­sy health re­vive our land,
Now trem­bling at Thine ire.

If this too great a fa­vor seem,
Lord, bow our wills to Thine;
Thou still Thy chos­en wilt re­deem,
And give them life di­vine.