Religion
Hymn I.136: Sincerity and hypocrisy; or, formality in worship
From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I (1707)
God is a Spirit, just and wise,
He sees our inmost mind;
In vain to beav'n we raise our cries,
And leave our souls behind.
Nothing but truth before his throne
With honor can appear;
The painted hypocrites are known
Through the disguise they wear.
Their lifted eyes salute the skies,
Their bending knees the ground;
But God abhors the sacrifice,
Where not the heart is found.
Lord, search my thoughts, and try my ways,
And make my soul sincere
Then shall I stand before thy face,
And find acceptance there.
Cite this poem
MLA
Watts, Isaac. “Hymn I.136: Sincerity and hypocrisy; or, formality in worship.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/491/.
Chicago
Watts, Isaac. “Hymn I.136: Sincerity and hypocrisy; or, formality in worship.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/491/.
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