Fast-Days

Verse 1

Dread Jehovah, God of nations,
From Thy temple in the skies
Hear Thy people’s supplications;
Now for their deliverance rise.

Verse 2

Lo! with deep contrition turning,
Humbly at Thy feet we bend;
Hear us, fasting, praying, mourning;
Hear us, spare us, and defend.

Verse 3

Though our sins, our hearts confounding,
Long and loud for vengeance call,
Thou hast mercy more abounding,
Jesus’ blood can cleanse them all.

Verse 4

Let that love veil our transgression;
Let that blood our guilt efface;
Save Thy people from oppression,
Save from spoil Thy holy place.

Verse 1

Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Verse 2

Sunbeams scorching all the day;
Chilly dewdrops nightly shed;
Prowling beasts about Thy way;
Stones Thy pillow; earth Thy bed.

Verse 3

Shall not we Thy sorrow share,
And from earthly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Glad with Thee to suffer pain?

Verse 4

And if Satan, vexing sore,
Flesh or spirit should assail,
Thou, his Vanquisher before,
Grant we may not faint nor fail.

Verse 5

So shall we have peace Divine;
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us too shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to Thee.

Verse 1

Great King of nations, hear our prayer,
While at Thy feet we fall,
And humbly, with united cry,
To Thee for mercy call.

Verse 2

The guilt is ours, but grace is Thine,
O turn us not away;
But hear us from Thy lofty throne,
And help us when we pray.

Verse 3

Our fathers’ sins were manifold,
And ours no less our own,
Yet wondrously from age to age
Thy goodness hath been shown.

Verse 4

When dangers, like a stormy sea,
Beset our country round,
To Thee we looked, to Thee we cried,
And help in Thee was found.

Verse 5

With one consent we meekly bow
Beneath Thy chastening hand,
And, pouring forth confession meet,
Mourn with our mourning land.

Verse 6

With pitying eye behold our need,
As thus we lift our prayer;
Correct us with Thy judgments, Lord,
Then let Thy mercy spare.