Now are the days of hum­blest pray­er,
When con­sci­ences to God lie bare,
And mer­cy most de­lights to spare.

Refrain

Oh heark­en when we cry,
Chastise us with Thy fear;
Yet, Fa­ther! in the mul­ti­tude
Of Thy com­pass­ions, hear!

Now is the sea­son, wise­ly long,
Of sad­der thought and grav­er song,
When ail­ing souls grow well and strong.

Refrain

The feast of pen­ance! Oh so bright,
With true con­ver­sion’s heav’n­ly light,
Like sun­rise after stor­my night!

Refrain

Oh hap­py time of bless­èd tears,
Of sur­er hopes, of chast­en­ing fears,
Undoing all our ev­il years.

Refrain

We, who have loved the world, must learn,
Upon that world our backs to turn,
And with the love God to burn.

Refrain

Vile crea­tures of such lit­tle worth!
Than we, there can be none on earth
More fall­en from their Chris­tian birth.

Refrain

Full long in sin’s dark ways we went,
Yet now our steps are heav’n­ward bent,
And grace is plen­ti­ful in Lent.

Refrain

All glo­ry to re­deem­ing grace,
Disdaining not our ev­il case,
But show­ing us our Sav­ior’s face!

Refrain