Your goodness and your mercy,
this I cannot understand.
This love you have placed on me
in accordance with your plan.
This thief you have adopted
and to riches made an heir.
This desert made hydroptic,
of your paradise to share.
Your mercy, universal-
goodness to all you have made-
abounding, covenantal
love unchanging as the braid
of Father, Son, and Spirit,
dancing ever, ever one
in holiness, severe, it
folds in all its love has won.
In mercy without measure,
of my sinfulness I’ve learned.
No, nothing of your treasure
have I merited or earned.
I’m bathed in undeserved
light, my darkness made to fear
the presence of the Desert-
King, divinity drawn near.
No sin e’er can mercy claim,
no treason force your pardon
as if deserts, by their name,
should all be made a garden.
Willful each rebellion is
false lovers, each prefers them.
Each would, in the garden, kiss
their Husband to betray him.
Yet once, Lord, I saw you weep
When Jerusalem withheld
her affections, once dug deep,
since found shallow in your well.
This your daughter, can she hear
the softening of your word?
Or in scores of scores of years
Has she lost her husband-lord?
Unless your tears as rain fall
on her desiccated heart-
unless your blood and water
plant the seed of faith to start-
then never can she hear you,
never she your love return.
Though soon she come to fear you
never fear in grace she'll learn.
But, Jesus, You are crying!
And I cannot understand
how you who conquered dying
might be broken by your plan.
Oh let me know the myst’ry
of a sovereign, weeping Lord,
who weeps for lack of treasures
that his treasury affords.
I cannot come with bitter'd
nor with self-assured tones
to him who for me suffered
Him who’s blood, for me, atones.
But weeping I approach him
for all these his tears he knows
and praying that he meet them
who his heart in part once chose.
Your goodness and your mercy,
this I cannot understand.
The light by which all men see
you do carry in your hand.
I will your providences
trust, the only hope I know,
and pray these clear petitions
save, since from your eyes they flow.
