Verse 1
The people that in nature’s night
Walk’d down the broad, destructive way,
Have seen a great and glorious light,
The morning of a gospel-day.

Verse 2
Who lov’d in death’s sad shade to dwell,
In trespasses and sins abode,
That gloomy neighbourhood of hell;
On them hath shin’d the light of God.

Verse 3
Thou, Lord, hast made thy mercies known,
Hast added to the chosen race,
Enlarg’d, and multiplied thine own,
And fill’d their hearts with joy and praise.

Verse 4
They joy in their Redeemer’s sight
As harvesters to crown their toils,
As warriors from the well-fought fight
Return’d to part their glorious spoils.

Verse 5
For thou the staff of sin hast broke,
The dire oppressor’s iron rod,
The Egyptian and Assyrian yoke,
And freed them from their guilty load.

Verse 6
Thou as in Midian’s dreadful day
Hast sav’d them from their tyrant-lord;
And all our sins thou soon shalt slay
With Gideon’s and the Spirit’s sword.

Verse 7
No common fight, tho’ fierce, and loud
With all the horrid pomp of war,
Tumult, and garments roll’d in blood;
Can with the fight of faith compare.

Verse 8
The Spirit of burning love shall come,
Our sins shall then the fewel be,
Thy love shall all our sins consume,
And get it self the victory.

Verse 9
For lo! to us a royal heir
Is born, to us a Son is given!
His shoulder shall the burthen bear,
The government of earth and heaven.

Verse 10
The WONDERFUL his name shall be,
His new, unutterable name,
The COUNSELLOR, whose powerful plea
Acquits us of all guilt and blame.

Verse 11
The great, supreme Almighty God,
With his eternal Father one,
The Prince of Peace, whose precious blood
Doth once for all mankind atone.

Verse 12
It seals the universal peace:
His peace and power to all extend,
His power shall evermore increase
And never shall his mercies end.

Verse 13
His mercies flow to all mankind,
His arms of love would all embrace,
And every soul of man may find
The power of his all-pard’ning grace.

Verse 14
Whoe’er receive his power t’ obey,
To them he comes, and reigns alone,
Mildly maintains his righteous sway,
And stablishes his peaceful throne.

Verse 15
He will the stedfast mind impart,
The power that never shall remove,
And fix in every sinless heart
His throne of everlasting love.

Verse 16
The zeal of our Almighty Lord
His great redeeming work shall do,
Perform his sanctifying word,
And every waiting soul renew;

Verse 17
Bring in the kingdom of his peace,
Fill all our souls with joy unknown,
And stablish us in righteousness,
And perfect all his saints in one.