Verse 1
Tremendous God of Israel, hear,
Before the slaughtering troops draw near, (Ezek. 9:1-2)
Before they at thy house begin; (I Pet. 4:17)
To smite the hoary slaves of sin;
Revoke the charge, the wicked spare, (Ezek. 9:5, Gen. 18:23-33)
And give them to thy people’s prayer.

Verse 2
With timely sorrow we confess
Our land’s abounding wickedness, (Ezek. 9:4, Ps. 106:6)
Our sins that to a deluge rise, (Gen. 6:5-7)
And dare the vengeance of the skies,
Where sinners fancy thee to reign,
Regardless of the works of men.

Verse 3
“The earth he hath long since forsook, (Ezek. 8:12, Ps. 10:11)
Nor deigns on worms to cast a look; (Ezek. 9:9)
Left to our selves (they madly cry)
We joy or grieve, we live or die,
And floods may rise, and cities fall,
For chance, and nature governs all.” (Ecc. 9:11)

Verse 4
Canst thou forgive the impious crowd,
Whose actions say, There is no God? (Ps. 10:4, Ps. 14:1)
Or must thou all thy fury pour,
And let the sword thy foes devour, (Ezek. 9:5-6)
The plague destroy, the dearth consume,
Or gaping earth at once entomb? (Num. 16:32, Ezek. 5:12, Ezek. 14:19-21)

Verse 5
We know not Lord, thy dread decree,
For secret things belong to thee, (Deut. 29:29)
Whether thou wilt again reprieve,
Or now the final sentence give;
But till thy counsel thou display,
We still for mercy, mercy pray.

Verse 6
Call in the ruthless sons of Rome,
Nor let the threaten’d earthquake come:
We hear the rod, we mourn and sigh,
We with the weeping remnant cry,
“Revoke the charge, the wicked spare,
And give them to thy people’s prayer.”