Repentance Flowing from the Patience of God

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And are we wretches yet alive?

Author: Isaac Watts
Tune: GREENWICH (Richardson)
Published in 56 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

And are we wretches yet alive?
And do we yet rebel?
'Tis boundless, 'tis amazing love,
That bears us up from hell!

The burden of our weighty guilt
Would sink us down to flames;
And threat'ning vengeance rolls above,
To crush our feeble frames.

Almighty goodness cries, "Forbear!"
And straight the thunder stays;
And dare we now provoke his wrath,
And weary out his grace?

Lord, we have long abused thy love,
Too long indulged our sin;
Our aching hearts e'en bleed to see
What rebels we have been.

No more, ye lusts, shall ye command,
No more will we obey;
Stretch out, O God, thy conquering hand,
And drive thy foes away.

Source: Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #II.105

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Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	And are we wretches yet alive?
Title:	Repentance Flowing from the Patience of God
Author:	Isaac Watts
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

And are we wretches yet alive? J. Watts. [Lent.] This somewhat uncommon and strongly worded hymn has passed out of use in Great Britain, but is still found in several modern American hymnbooks of importance. It appeared in Watts's Hymns and Sacred Songs, 1707, Bk. ii., No. 105, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled, “Repentance flowing from the patience of God."

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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