Your mercy, my God, is the theme of my song

Your mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
the joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue;
your free grace alone, from the first to the last,
has drawn me towards you, and now holds me fast.

Without your great mercy I could not live here;
my days would be filled with dejection and fear;
but through your free goodness my spirits revive -
you, Lord, who first made me still keep me alive.

For Jesus, my friend, as he hung on the tree,
has opened the channel of mercy for me;
dissolved by such goodness, I bow to the ground,
and worship you, Lord, for the mercy I've found.

Great Father of mercies, your goodness I own,
and the covenant love of your crucified Son;
all praise to the Spirit, whose power divine
makes mercy, forgiveness and righteousness mine.


Derek Baldwin (b.1944), from a hymn by John Stocker (written 1776)
© Derek Baldwin, admin. The Jubilate Group
Metre: 11 11 11 11