Habakkuk 1

Plow long to Thee, O God, shall I
Of violence and oppressions cry,
And Thou refuse to hear?
Fresh scenes of wickedness I see.
Of bloody strife and cruelty,
But no deliverance near.

Why dost Thou to Thy servants show
Spoiling, and waste, and grievous woe.
Which force me to complain?
Tyrants and demagogues arise.
Where'er I turn my blasted eyes.
And fill my heart with pain.

The silent laws have lost their force.
Where rebels arm'd obstruct their course,
And grasp at sovereign power.
Their law their own despotic will,
Their whole delight to slay and kill.
To murder and devour.

Suffer'd by Thee, their swift allies,
Whom treacherous Babylon supplies.
To their assistance haste,
March through a land that is not theirs,
Impatient to demand their shares,
And seize the whole at last.

As hungry wolves they come from far,
With violent rage to rend, and tear
America oppress'd.
As eagles to the carcase fly.
And enemies and friends must die,
To furnish out the feast.

O Lord, my God, my Holy One,
High on Thine everlasting throne,
Whom Britain's crimes offend.
Thou wilt not give our nation up
To the destroyer's will, but hope
And peace is in our end.

More righteous than ourselves are they
Who scourge us in our evil day?
Or dost Thou choose the worst,
Thy wrath vindictive to reveal.
Thy lighter chastisements to deal.
And punish us the first?

Thy purer eyes abhor to see.
Or look upon iniquity.
Nor wilt Thou always bear
With treacherous and bl6odthirsty men,
Who have their juster brethren slain.
And all Thy judgments dare.

Fishers of men, by Satan sent,
They hunt them through the Continent,
And catch them in their toils
As reptiles vile they tread them down,
And then proclaim their own renown,
And glory in their wiles.

But soon their evil day shall come.
And Thou, the righteous God, consume
The weapons of Thine ire;
Yet merciful when once severe,
O let them have their chastening here.
And 'scape the' eternal fire.