Retribution + 

Judgment slumbered. God in mercy + 

Stayed his strong avenging hand; + 

Sent them priests and sent them prophets, + 

But they would not understand. + 

Judgment lingered; men, grown bolder, + 

Gloried in their shame and guilt; + 

And the blood of God’s poor childrep + 

Was as water freely spilt. + 

Then arose a cry to heaven, + 

Deep and startling, sad and wild, + 

Sadder than the wail of Egypt, + 

Mourning for the first-born child. + 

For the sighing of the needy + 

God at length did bare his hand, + 

And the footsteps of his judgments + 

Echoed through the guilty land. + 

Oh! the terror, grief and anguish; + 

Oh! the bitter, fearful strife, + 

When the judgments of Jehovah + 

Pressed upon the nation’s life. + 

And the land did reel and tremble + 

’Neath the terror of his frown, + 

For its guilt lay heavy on it, + 

Pressing like an iron crown. + 

As a warning to the nations, + 

Bathed in blood and swathed in fire, + 

Lay the once oppressing nation, + 

Smitten by God’s fearful ire. + 