O come, behold a scene of dread

Representative Text

1 O come, behold a scene of dread!
Behold a world with slaughter spread!
And know, 'tis God who bids each land
thus feel the terrors of his hand.

2 'Tis his again the earth to cheer,
To break the bow, to snap the spear,
To wrap in flames the glitt'ring car,
And hush the tumult of the war.

3 Behold us, Lord! oppress'd with woe,
And exil'd from thy care we go:
Rebuk'd for sin, chastis'd by thee,
Grant us again thy face to see.

4 O thou, the God whom we adore!
Our breaches heal, our peace restore.
Our hope on man repos'd in vain,
O let thy strength, great God! sustain.

5 The objects of thy tend'rest love
O save, propitious from above!
Let us with them thy mercy share,
And hear, O hear our ceaseless pray'r.

Source: A Collection of Hymns and A Liturgy: for the use of Evangelical Lutheran Churches; to which are added prayers for families and individuals #417

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Author: James Merrick

Merrick, James , M.A., was born in 1720, and educated at Oxford, where he became a Fellow of Trinity College. He entered Holy Orders, but his health would not admit of parish work. He died at Reading, 1769. His publications include:— (1) Messiah, a Divine Essay. Humbly dedicated to the Reverend the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and the Visitors of the Free School in Reading. By James Merrick, Ætat. 14, Senior Scholar of the School at their last Terminal Visitation, the 7th of October, 1734. Reading. (2) The Destruction of Troy. Translated from the Greek of Tryphiodorus into English Verse, with Notes, &c. 1742. (3) Poems on Sacred Subjects. Oxford . 1763. (4) The Psalms of David Translated or Paraphrased in English Verse… Go to person page >

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