DAY of vengeance, without morrow! | |
| Earth shall end in flame and sorrow, | |
| As from Saint and Seer we borrow. | |
| |
| Ah! what terror is impending, | |
| When the Judge is seen descending, | 5 |
| And each secret veil is rending! | |
| |
| To the throne, the trumpet sounding, | |
| Through the sepulchres resounding, | |
| Summons all, with voice astounding. | |
| |
| Death and Nature, mazed, are quaking, | 10 |
| When, the grave’s long slumber breaking, | |
| Man to judgment is awaking. | |
| |
| On the written Volume’s pages, | |
| Life is shown in all its stages— | |
| Judgment-record of past ages. | 15 |
| |
| Sits the Judge, the raised arraigning, | |
| Darkest mysteries explaining, | |
| Nothing unavenged remaining. | |
| |
| What shall I then say, unfriended, | |
| By no advocate attended, | 20 |
| When the just are scarce defended? | |
| |
| King of majesty tremendous, | |
| By thy saving grace defend us, | |
| Fount of pity, safety send us! | |
| |
| Holy Jesus, meek, forbearing, | 25 |
| For my sins the death-crown wearing, | |
| Save me, in that day, despairing! | |
| |
| Worn and weary, thou hast sought me; | |
| By thy cross and passion bought me— | |
| Spare the hope thy labors brought me! | 30 |
| |
| Righteous Judge of retribution, | |
| Give, O give me absolution | |
| Ere the day of dissolution! | |
| |
| As a guilty culprit groaning, | |
| Flushed my face, my errors owning, | 35 |
| Hear, O God, Thy suppliant moaning! | |
| |
| Thou to Mary gav’st remission, | |
| Heard’st the dying thief’s petition, | |
| Bad’st me hope in my contrition. | |
| |
| In my prayers no worth discerning, | 40 |
| Yet on me Thy favor turning, | |
| Save me from that endless burning! | |
| |
| Give me, when Thy sheep confiding | |
| Thou art from the goals dividing, | |
| On Thy right a place abiding! | 45 |
| |
| When the wicked are rejected, | |
| And by bitter flames subjected, | |
| Call me forth with Thine elected! | |
| |
| Low in supplication bending, | |
| Heart as though with ashes blending; | 50 |
| Care for me when all is ending. | |
| |
| When on that dread day of weeping | |
| Guilty man in ashes sleeping | |
| Wakes to his adjudication, | |
| Save him, God! from condemnation! | 55 |
