The Army and Navy Hymnal/Catholic/Return to God, Poor Sinner

by Anonymous

Layout 2

Return to God, Poor Sinner

4

(Colloquy between the Good Shepherd and the Sinner)

B. M. J.

1. Return to God, poor sinner, it is meet;
   Delay no more to bend thy rebel knee.
   His Holy law thou'st broken; I entreat,
   Return to him, who seeketh after thee,
   Return to him, who seeketh after thee.
   
2. Behold, O Lord! this lost and straying sheep
   Whom Thou didst deign to seek for, O how long!
   Aroused at last from its long deadly sleep,
   Guilty, confused, this heart repents its wrong,
   Guilty, confused, this heart repents its wrong.
   
3. Repentant child, thy heart is all I seek,
   And when thy heart is given all to Me,
   My mercy takes thy service, rendered meek,
   And rains down grace and loves unceasingly,
   And rains down grace and loves unceasingly.
   
4. My God! how good thou art to all of those,
   Who with sincere repentance thee implore;
   With grief and love my swelling heart o'erflows.
   O give me grace to love thee evermore,
   O give me grace to love thee evermore.