A world of sinners once was drown'd,
A deluge swept them all away;
One family alone had found
Mercy in that great Judgment Day.

Forewarn'd of wrath to come, they fear'd,
And, taught by God, prepared an ark,
Which o'er the waves in sunshine steer'd,
Where all below was dead and dark.

Again the Spirit of the Lord
Moved on the formless deep and void,
And to the Patriarchs sight restored
The relics of that world destroyed:

A world without a breathing soul,
Or sign of life in plant or tree;
Stretch'd like a corpse from pole to pole,
Untravell'd land, unvoyaged sea!

Then from their hiding place they came,
And straightway built an altar there;
Whence rose to heaven the double flame
Of pure burnt sacrifice and prayer.

We, in an ark not made with hands,
God's own new covenant of peace,
Which on the rock of ages stands,
Seek refuge till his anger cease.

Then, as the cloud-born rainbow smiled
On Noah's ransom'd ones, we trace
Our heavenly Father reconciled
In our incarnate Saviour's face.