Scripture Verse

Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. Psalm 143:2

Introduction

Words: John Marck­ant, Old Ver­sion 1562.

Music: St. Ma­ry ar­ranged from Prys’ Welsh Psal­ter, 1621 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

Lyrics

O Lord, turn not Thy face from me,
Who lie in woe­ful state,
Lamenting all my sin­ful life
Before Thy mer­cy-gate.

A gate which op­ens wide to those
That do la­ment their sin;
Shut not that gate against me, Lord,
But let me en­ter in.

And call me not to strict ac­count
How I have so­journed here;
For then my guil­ty con­sci­ence knows
How vile I shall ap­pear.

So come I to Thy mer­cy gate,
Where mer­cy doth abound,
Requiring mer­cy for my sin
To heal my dead­ly wound.

Mercy, good Lord, mer­cy I ask;
This is my hum­ble pray­er;
For mer­cy, Lord is all my suit,
O let Thy mer­cy spare.