The words
Stanza 1. Sinner, art thou still secure?Wilt thou still refuse to pray?Can thy heart or hands endureIn the LORD’S avenging day?See, his mighty arm is bared!Aweful terrors clothe his brow!For his judgment stand prepared,Thou must either break or bow.
Stanza 2. At his presence nature shakes,Earth affrighted hastes to flee;Solid mountains melt like wax,What will then become of thee?Who his advent may abide?You that glory in your shame,Will you find a place to hideWhen the world is wrapped in flame?
Stanza 3. Then the rich, the great, the wise,Trembling, guilty, self–condemned;Must behold the wrathful eyesOf the Judge they once blasphemed:Where are now their haughty looks?O, their horror and despair!When they see the opened booksAnd their dreadful sentence hear!
Stanza 4. LORD prepare us by thy grace!Soon we must resign our breath;And our souls be called, to passThrough the iron gate of deathLet us now our day improve,Listen to the gospel voice;Seek the things that are above,Scorn the world’s pretended joys.
Stanza 5. O! when flesh and heart shall fail,Let thy love our spirits cheer;Strengthened thus, we shall prevailOver Satan, sin, and fear:Trusting in thy precious name,May we thus our journey end;Then our foes hall lose their aim,And the Judge will be our Friend.
Olney Hymns (1779), Book 3, Hymn 4. John Newton. Public domain. CCEL transcription with modernized spelling. www.praylock.com/olney-hymns/3-4
