Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books ‎#II.CVII

II.CVII. The everlasting absence of God intolerable

1 That awful day will surely come,
Th' appointed hour makes haste,
When I must stand before my judge,
And pass the solemn test.

2 Thou lovely chief of all my joys,
Thou sov'reign of my heart!
How could I bear to hear thy voice
Pronounce the sound, "Depart?"

3 The thunder of that dismal word
Would so torment my ear,
'Twould tear my soul asunder, Lord,
With most tormenting fear.]

4 [What, to be banish'd from my life,
And yet forbid to die!
To linger in eternal pain,
Yet death for ever fly!]

5 O! wretched state of deep despair,
To see my God remove,
And fix my doleful station where
I must not taste his love.

6 Jesus! I throw my arms around,
And hang upon thy breast;
Without a gracious smile from thee
My spirit cannot rest.

7 O! tell me that my worthless name
Is graven on thy hands;
Shew me some promise in thy book,
Where my salvation stands!

8 [Give me one kind assuring word,
To sink my fears again;
And cheerfully my soul shall wait
Her threescore years and ten.]

Text Information

• First Line: That awful day will surely come
• Title: The everlasting absence of God intolerable
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1793
• Notes: Public Domain.

Tune Information

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