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| THEE I will seek, to Thee unveil my breast, | |
| O great in Judah and in Israel blest, | |
| For He who searches mortals understands | |
| How truly my transgressions are confest. | |
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| Ah, verily, not one of us is just! | 5 |
| Thy myriad mercies save us from the dust; | |
| Lo, unto Thee we stretch our guilty hands, | |
| And in Thy holy Name we put our trust. | |
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| We put our trust, for ’tis our soul’s delight | |
| To seek in humbleness Thy shield of might; | 10 |
| Thy strength is all the refuge of the poor, | |
| And lowly souls Thou placest on the height. | |
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| The haughtiness of upstarts I have borne, | |
| Unsated and unceasing is their scorn; | |
| Lo! we are wasted of the tyrant boor | 15 |
| Who left the helpless utterly forlorn. | |
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| Before Thy mercy-seat the beggars pray, | |
| Their sins confest, abandoned in dismay; | |
| Lo, pardon them and be no longer vext, | |
| For is it not the dread Atonement Day? | 20 |
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| O Thou in majesty and glory girt, | |
| Be pitiful and trample sin to dirt; | |
| Lo! sweet as honey tastes the holy text, | |
| “For He is one who healeth those He hurt.” | |
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| Yea! He will heal and all shall bless His name, | 25 |
| He will remove the burden of our blame; | |
| Before His face His people shall avow | |
| The sins presumption added to their shame. | |
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| Both these, and those from ignorance that mount, | |
| O cease, according to their plea, to count; | 30 |
| Lo, life eternal set upon their brow, | |
| For, Lord, in Thee is life’s eternal fount. | |
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| To all who worship Thee grant life and grace, | |
| Their heart’s perversity from them erase; | |
| Let sprinkled water purify each soul, | 35 |
| And let the dew revive each stony place. | |
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| With dew, O lave Thy lambs from stain and flake, | |
| It is the hour, forgiveness is awake. | |
| Lo! cleanse them as ’tis written in the Scroll, | |
| “For on this day he shall Atonement make.” | 40 |
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| And this Atonement shall not be less good, | |
| Than when the altar in the Temple stood. | |
| Lo! known to Him each sinew of my breast, | |
| My reins are fashioned by His fatherhood. | |
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| My inward parts I’ll fit for serving Thee, | 45 |
| So due acceptance greet Thy servant’s plea, | |
| For whoso honors Thee Thou honorest, | |
| Thou sole-exalted in sublimity. | |
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| On Thee alone must rest the hope of man, | |
| Iniquities Thou wilt not strictly scan; | 50 |
| Lo! God the righteous loves not punishment, | |
| His ways transcend the little human plan. | |
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| ’Tis of the deed itself I am afraid, | |
| Lest by my sin I shall be duly paid; | |
| Yet Him I trust, and wait in dumb assent; | 55 |
| Repentance ever brought consoling aid. | |
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| From soul-affliction did I comfort win, | |
| Confessing every public, private sin; | |
| Lo! this is the appointed Judgment Day, | |
| A covenant eternal set within. | 60 |
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| The day of pardon set to wean from vice, | |
| Remorse replacing ancient sacrifice. | |
| Ah, could I but beneath His shadow stay. | |
| He knows the weakness of my own device. | |
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| The wonders of Thy grace let me explore, | 65 |
| When Thou Thy sheep and lambs art counting o’er; | |
| Lo! this Thy flock is shepherded of Thee, | |
| Nor e’er forgets the wonders wrought of yore. | |
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| Renew Thy deeds to save Thy faithful flock, | |
| The fear of Thee is all their treasure-stock; | 70 |
| Ah, let the foes who judge us learn to see | |
| How little is their rock beside our Rock. | |
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| When “Israel’s Holy Rock” the heathen cry, | |
| God in their eyes Himself shall sanctify. | |
| Thus righteousness in these He brings to bud, | 75 |
| Down-looking from His holy place on high. | |
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| He will restore the Temple and its laws, | |
| The glory of His presence there shall pause; | |
| Lo! men shall tremble when the Judge of blood | |
| Arises to espouse His people’s cause. | 80 |
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| Ah, side with us, make hostile clamor cease, | |
| Thy people from accusing tongues release, | |
| So Thy beloved shall rechant Thy praise; | |
| For happiness awaits the sons of peace. | |
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| Then let Thy peace irradiate all things, | 85 |
| Account our orisons as offerings; | |
| Ah, flood us with Thy Presence as with rays, | |
| From Zion goes the Law, the prophet sings: | |
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| That Law the faithful heard at Sinai, | |
| To which they brought attentive ear and eye, | 90 |
| Lo! God this day His faithful nation thanks, | |
| He is a God who softens at our cry. | |
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| The Lord shall lead us even after death, | |
| He saves from wrath and pain our mortal breath; | |
| Lo! arrogance as ignorance He ranks, | 95 |
| “It is My people’s ignorance,” He saith. | |
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