1 Be it according to Thy word,
Merciful unto all, O Lord.
Be merciful to me:
Avert the wrath I deprecate,
Nor crush me with Thy judgments weight,
Who would return to Thee,
Who would return to Thee.
2 Thy wrath shall not forever last,
If pained at my pollutions past,
I groan to be made clean:
And lo, I now with grief confess
My inward parts are wickedness.
And all my life is sin,
And all my life is sin.
3 I have mine idols multiplied,
Before the shrine of self and pride
With vile devotion fell;
Followed where'er the tempter led,
And by each beastly, devilish deed
Debased my soul to hell,
Debased my soul to hell.
4 My heart was hardened from Thy fear,
Thy warning voice I would not hear.
But cast Thy words behind:
Yet for my Saviour's sake forgive;
And in Thy mercy's arms receive
Our whole apostate kind,
Our whole apostate kind.
AMEN.
Source: The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal: official hymnal of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church #400
Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >
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