With tears o’er lost Jerusalem,

Lord Jesus, Thou’rt lamenting,

Thus shewing how Thou welcom’st them,

When sinners turn repenting:

When I in grief to Thee draw nigh,

And mourn my guilt with bitter cry,

Of thy free grace Thou wip’st away

Sin’s dread array,

Which on my soul a burden lay.

Oh! when thy Father’s wrath doth burn,

For all those sins which grieve me,

Then, Jesus, to thy tears I turn,

For they can still relieve me:

With God they such acceptance win,

That whoso laves in them his sin,

God for their sake with kindness will

Regard him still,

And his sad heart with gladness fill.

Here must I, in this house of tears,

With anguish oft be weeping;

Such enmity the world still bears

Those who thy laws are keeping;

Where’er its arms can entrance win,

To deadly fight it draws me in:

On this, through all, my hope shall rest,

My Saviour blest!

Thou too with grief hast been opprest.

My contrite tears Thou tellest all,

By Thee with God they’re pleaded;

And though in torrents fast they fall,

None fall by Thee unheeded:

Oft as my tears thy throne assail,

So oft with Thee they still prevail,

And Thou a piteous eye dost lend,

The sinner’s Friend!

And dost with present help defend.

He who in tears his seed now sows,

And close with God is keeping,

Shall safe within thy house repose,

Joy’s plenteous harvest reaping;

The joy of heaven, whose great excess

No tongue of man can e’er express,

Which through eternity shall last:

Our woes, all past,

Shall be exchanged for joy so vast.

Thanks, Lord, to Thee, for these thy tears,

Through which Thou hast obtain’d me

A crown of joy through endless years,

A place in heaven hast gain’d me.

Oh! when Thou callest me on high,

To join thy myriads in the sky,

Praises to Thee I’ll ever sing,

My Heavenly King!

Thy tears of love remembering.