LO, IN THE WILDERNESS A VOICE

 A HYMN FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

by Percy Dearmer, 1867-1936

 

1 Lo, in the wilderness a voice

'Make straight the way' is crying:

When men are turning from the light,

And hope and love seem dying,

The prophet comes to make us clean:

'There standeth one you have not seen,

Whose voice you are denying.'

2 God give us grace to hearken now

To those who come to warn us,

Give sight and strength, that we may kill

The vices that have torn us,

Lest love professed should disappear

In creeds of hate, contempt, and fear,

That crush and overturn us.

 

3 When from the vineyard cruel men

Cast out the heavenly powers

And Christendom denies its Lord,

The world in ruin cowers.

Now come, O God, in thy great might!

Unchanged, unchanging is thy right,

Unswayed thy justice towers.