Battle Hymn and Litany/A Litany
A Litany
LO! the throat of the earth is dry with the dust of the dead,
And the eyes of the world are blind with the blood of the slain;
And we brag of our shame and the blood of our brothers we shed,
Yet our strength, O Lord God, it is vain, it is vain.
Our hearts have gone mad with the rancorous venom of hate.
And our hands are dyed deep with the malice and lust of our sin.
Spare us, O merciful Lord, nor leave us alone to our fate.
Turn not, O God, thy wrath on our madness and sin.
Lo! our strength is a reed in the wind, a leaf in the storm,
Yet our tongues run riot in pitiless words and wild boasts,
Forgetting, O God, that our might is the might of the worm,
Be merciful, Lord, be merciful, Lord God of Hosts.
Once more let the glad earth be filled with the joy of its song.
Let the peace which surpasseth the understanding of men
Uplift our sad hearts; Lord, forgive us our guilt and our wrong,
Lord God of Hosts and of Men, Allelulia, Amen.