Tho' oft, O Lord, we've felt thy heavy wrath

1 Tho' oft, O Lord, we've felt thy heavy wrath,
And oft thy vengeance menaces with death,
Yet still thy people have thy mercy known,
Still hath thy great beneficence been shewn:
2 Our heinous crimes against thee thou'st forgot,
And in oblivion hid our ev'ry fault;
3 Benign hast heard us, when we did implore,
And bad thy dreadful fury rage no more.
4 Now then, indulgent God, propitious turn,
Nor 'gainst thy people let thine anger burn;
5 Must we thy dread resentment ever bear?
And shall our after-race thy vengeance share?
6 Will now no more thy goodness bid us live,
And in eternal anguish must we grieve?
7 Once more, ah! let forgiving mercy reign,
Save us, O Lord, nor let us plead in vain.
8 Long have I waited for thy pow'rful word,
That to our souls will peace, will bliss, afford;
Long have I waited for the gracious sign
Of pard'ning love, of clemency divine;
That, if thy people wou'd no more offend,
Soon thou wou'dst solace and assistance send.
9 And sure to them thy great salvation's near,
Who love thy holy law, thy name who fear.
10 Yes; joyful soon shall truth and mercy meet,
Justice and pleasing peace in transport greet:
11 Down from above the heav'n-born maids descend;
See, golden plenty on their steps attend;
12 Blest with their happy influence, teeming earth
Shall give to all her blooming produce birth;
Her corn, her wine, her oil, shal joyous yield,
And cloath with verdure the rejoicing field.
13 Where'er our gracious Lord directs his way,
There truth, there love, there justice, hold the sway;
Thence fly oppression, wrong, deceit and fraud,
Thence quick they fly, by his dread prefence aw'd.

Source: New Version of the Psalms of David #LXXXV