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

II.LXXIV. Repentance from a sense of divine goodness: or, complaint of ingratitude

1 Is this the kind return,
And these the thanks we owe?
Thus to abuse eternal love,
Whence all our blessings flow!

2 To what a stubborn frame
Has sin reduc'd our mind!
What strange rebellious wretches we,
And God as strangely kind!

3 [On us he bids the sun
Shed his reviving rays;
For us the skies their circles run,
To lengthen out our days.

4 The brutes obey their God,
And bow their necks to men;
But we, more base, more brutish things,
Reject his easy reign.]

5 Turn, turn us, mighty God!
And mould our souls afresh;
Break, sov'reign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh.

6 Let old ingratitude
Provoke our weeping eyes,
And hourly, as new mercies fall
Let hourly thanks arise.

Text Information

• First Line: Is this the kind return
• Title: Repentance from a sense of divine goodness: or, complaint of ingratitude
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1793
• Notes: Public Domain.

Tune Information

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