"Have Mercy Upon Us"

Have Mercy Upon Us

We come in ease and luxury to-day, 

In velvet pews to kneel, and, kneeling, say 

Our prayers to Thee; and all the while 

we pray, 

Lord God, Lord God, have mercy upon us! 

We are the people who believe in Thee; 

We are the people who believe that He, 

Thine own son, died for all humanity― 

Yet, Lord, Lord God, have mercy upon us! 

Of all the Pharisees that were or be, 

None were or are so shameless quite as we― 

That we are not as others to thank Thee! 

O Lord, O Lord, have mercy upon us! 

We draw the satin skirt away from sin 

Embodied in that woman sad and thin, 

Whom once Christ bade a new life to begin― 

Lord God, Lord God, have mercy upon us! 

‘Tis not for us to minister to such, 

Or marvel on, or pity overmuch; 

(Only the rose-leaf sin for us to touch!) 

O Lord, Lord God, have mercy upon us! 

“We thank Thee, God,” we daily say, “that we 

Are not as Jews and unbelievers be.” 

The shame of it―to give such thanks to Thee! 

Yet, Lord, Lord God, have mercy upon us! 

“We thank Thee, God,” we daily say, “for all 

The blessings Thou hast giv’n us, great or small, 

Which on less favored ones may never fall.” 

Have mercy, Lord―have mercy upon us! 

“We thank Thee, God,” we daily say, “that we 

Are not as blinded ones and cripples be.” 

That others bear the crosses to thank Thee! 

Have mercy, Lord, have mercy upon us! 

Forgive us all. We know not what we say. 

None are so ignorant, dear God, as they 

Who bend to Thee, yet know not what they pray. 

Have pity, Lord, and mercy upon us!

"Have Mercy Upon Us" as it appears in Ella Higginson's When the Birds Go North Again (1898).