O Wretched Man That I Am

Representative Text

1 How sore a plague is sin,
To those by whom ’tis felt!
The Christian cries, “Unclean, unclean!”
E’en though released from guilt.

2 O wretched, wretched man!
What horrid scenes I view!
I find, alas! do all I can,
That I can nothing do.

3 When good I would perform,
Through fear or shame I stop,
Corruption rises like a storm,
And blasts the promised crop.

4 [Of peace if I’m in quest,
Or love my thoughts engage,
Envy and anger in my breast
That moment rise and rage.]

5 [When for a humble mind
To God I pour my prayer,
I look into my heart, and find
That pride will still be there.]

6 How long, dear Lord, how long
Deliverance must I seek;
And fight with foes so very strong,
Myself so very weak?

7 I’ll bear the unequal strife,
And wage the war within;
Since death, that puts an end to life,
Shall put an end to sin.

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #314

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Author: J. Hart

Hart, Joseph, was born in London in 1712. His early life is involved in obscurity. His education was fairly good; and from the testimony of his brother-in-law, and successor in the ministry in Jewin Street, the Rev. John Hughes, "his civil calling was" for some time "that of a teacher of the learned languages." His early life, according to his own Experience which he prefaced to his Hymns, was a curious mixture of loose conduct, serious conviction of sin, and endeavours after amendment of life, and not until Whitsuntide, 1757, did he realize a permanent change, which was brought about mainly through his attending divine service at the Moravian Chapel, in Fetter Lane, London, and hearing a sermon on Rev. iii. 10. During the next two years ma… Go to person page >

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