The Cyber Hymnal ‎#16531

16531. Day Of Wrath

1 The day of wrath, that dread­ful day,
Shall the whole world in ash­es lay,
As Da­vid and the Si­byls say.

2 What hor­ror will in­vade the mind
When the strict Judge, who would be kind,
Shall have few ven­ial faults to find.

3 The last loud trum­pet’s wond­rous sound
Shall through the rend­ing tombs re­bound,
And wake the na­tions under ground.

4 Nature and death shall with sur­prise
Behold the pale of­fend­er rise,
And view the Judge with con­scious eyes.

5 Then shall, with uni­vers­al dread,
The sac­red, mys­tic book be read
To try the liv­ing and the dead.

6 The Judge as­cends His aw­ful throne;
He makes each sec­ret sin be known,
And all with shame con­fess their own.

7 O then, what in­terest shall I make
To save my last im­port­ant stake
When the most just have cause to quake!

8 Thou mighty, form­id­able King!
Thou mer­cy’s un­ex­haust­ed spring,
Some com­fort­able pi­ty bring!

9 Forget not what my ran­som cost;
Nor let my dear-bought soul be lost.
In storms of guil­ty ter­rors tossed.

10 Thou who for me didst feel such pain,
Whose pre­cious blood the cross did stain,
Let not these ago­nies be vain!

11 Thou whom av­eng­ing pow­ers ob­ey,
Cancel my debt, too great to pay,
Before the sad ac­count­ing day!

12 Surrounded with am­az­ing fears,
Whose load my soul with ang­uish bears,
I sigh, I weep! ac­cept my tears!

13 Thou who wert moved with Ma­ry’s grief,
And by ab­solv­ing of the thief
Hast giv’n me hope, now give re­lief!

14 Reject not my un­worthy pray­er;
Preserve me from the dan­ger­ous snare
Which death and gap­ing hell pre­pare.

15 Give my exal­ted soul a place
Among Thy chos­en right-hand race,
The sons of God and heirs of grace.

16 From that in­sa­ti­able ab­yss,
Where flames de­vour and ser­pents hiss,
Promote me to Thy seat of bliss.

17 Prostrate my con­trite heart I rend,
My God, my fa­ther, and my friend:
Do not for­sake me in my end!

18 Well may they curse their se­cond breath
Who rise to a re­viv­ing death:
Let guil­ty man com­pas­sion find!

Text Information

• First Line: The day of wrath, that dread­ful day
• Title: Day Of Wrath
• Author (attributed to): Thomas of Celano, 13th century
• Translator: Wentworth Dillon
• Meter: 888
• Language: English
• Source: Poems, 1721
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tune: HOLY SEPULCHRE by Edward H. Thorne

Tune Information

• Name: INASMUCH
• Composer: Uzziah Christopher Burnap (1895)
• Meter: 888
• Key: G Major or modal
• Copyright: Public Domain