Great God, whose wrath in antient times (ancient times)

Verse 1
Great God, whose wrath in antient times
Oreflow’d thy sinful people’s crimes;
Whose angry voice again I hear,
Which thunder’d in Ezekiel’s ear; (Ezek. 9:1)
Stir up thy mercy with thy power,
And arm us for the fiery hour.

Verse 2
If now the dreadful charge is given
To the fierce ministers of heaven,
If ready now the aliens stand,
Their slaughter weapons in their hand, (Ezek. 9:1)
To deal the chastisements of God,
And make our land a field of blood: (Ezek. 9:5-7)

Verse 3
Come with them, O thou man in white, (Ezek. 9:3)
Who dost in gracious acts delight,
Before the dire destroyers come,
In love prevent the general doom;
Nor make thy wrath on sinners known,
’Till mercy hath secur’d thine own. (Ezek. 9:4)

Verse 4
Our sad devoted land go thro’,
Distinguishing the mournful few, (Ezek. 9:4)
Whose spirits vex’d with pious pain,
Lament our sins of deepest stain,
And groan the public guilt to bear,
And agonize in secret prayer. (II Pet. 2:7-8)

Verse 5
The men, who daily sigh and grieve, (Ezek. 9:4)
The Lots that in our Sodom live, (Gen. 19:15-16, II Pet. 2:7-8)
A difference in their favour make,
Into thy kind protection take,
And claim the pensive souls for thine,
And mark them with the crimson sign. (Ezek. 9:4)

Verse 6
The sign which men and demons flee,
Let us ev’n now receive from thee; (Ezek. 9:4)
Inscribe us, O thou pard’ning God,
Write our protection in thy blood, (Ex. 12:7-13)
(That blood which every ill averts)
And stamp thine image on our hearts. (II Cor. 3:18, Jer. 31:33, Heb. 8:10, Heb. 10:16)