God Comes, and Who Shall Stand Before His Fear?

God comes, and who shall stand before His fear?

Translator: John Mason Neale (1862); Author: Saint Theodore, Studites (826)
Published in 4 hymnals

Full Text

GOD comes;—and who shall stand before His fear?
Who bide His Presence, when He draweth near?
My soul, my soul, prepare
To kneel before Him there!

Haste,—weep,—be reconciled to Him before
The fearful judgment knocketh at the door
Where, in the judge’s eyes,
All bare and naked lies.

Have mercy, LORD, have mercy, LORD, I cry,
When with Thine angels Thou appear’st on high:
And each shall doom inherit,
According to his merit.

How can I bear Thy fearful anger, LORD?
I, that have so often transgressed Thy word?
But put my sins away,
And spare me in that day!

O miserable soul, return, lament,
Ere earthly converse end, and life be spent:
Ere, time for sorrow o’er,
The Bridegroom close the door!

Yea, I have sinned, as no man sinned beside:
With more than human guilt my soul is dyed:
But spare, and save me here,
Before that day appear!

Three Persons in One Essence uncreate,
On Whom, both Three and One, our praises wait,
Give everlasting light,
To them that sing Thy might!

Hymns of the Eastern Church, 1866

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Translator: John Mason Neale

Neale, John Mason, D.D., was born in Conduit Street, London, on Jan. 24, 1818. He inherited intellectual power on both sides: his father, the Rev. Cornelius Neale, having been Senior Wrangler, Second Chancellor's Medallist, and Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and his mother being the daughter of John Mason Good, a man of considerable learning. Both father and mother are said to have been "very pronounced Evangelicals." The father died in 1823, and the boy's early training was entirely under the direction of his mother, his deep attachment for whom is shown by the fact that, not long before his death, he wrote of her as "a mother to whom I owe more than I can express." He was educated at Sherborne Grammar School, and was afterwards… Go to person page >

Author: Saint Theodore, Studites

Theodore, St., of the Studium. One of the Greek hymnwriters. He was born at Constantinople, circa 759, and educated by his uncle, St. Plato. He was banished by Constantine, for his resolute refusal to acknowledge the Emperor’s illicit marriage with Theodora, in 797. On the accession of Irene (798), he was recalled, and enjoyed the favour of the Empress. In 809 he was again banished, for the old cause, refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of Constantine's marriage. Recalled once more in 811, he was imprisoned and again banished for his defence of the Icons, under Leo the Armenian. He was recalled a third time at the death of Leo, and died Nov. 11, 826 (Dr. Neale adds, "in banishment"). He succeeded his uncle, St. Plato, as Hegumen of the… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: God comes, and who shall stand before His fear?
Title: God Comes, and Who Shall Stand Before His Fear?
Translator: John Mason Neale (1862)
Author: Saint Theodore, Studites (826)
Meter: 10.10.6.6
Language: English
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Instances

Instances (4)TextImageAudioScore
Christ in Song #365Image
Hymns and Poetry of the Eastern Church #147Image
Hymns of the Eastern Church (5th ed.) #176TextImage
Songs of the Soul: gathered out of many lands and ages #146Image
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