O Lord of life and death, we come
In sorrow to Thy throne;
Yet not bewildered, blind and dumb,
Before some power unknown.

The scourge is our Fa­ther’s hand;
The plague comes forth from Thee;
Oh, give us hearts to understand,
And faith Thy ways to see!

Forgive the foul neglect that brought
Thy chastening to our door;
The homes uncared-for, souls untaught,
The unregarded poor;

The slothful ease, the greed of gain,
The wasted years, forgive;
Purge out our sins by needful pain,
Then turn, and bid us live.

So shall the lives for which we plead
Be spared to praise Thee still;
And we, from fear and danger freed,
Be strong to do Thy will.