Who can sound the depths of sorrow

Who can sound the depths of sorrow
in the father-heart of God,
for the children we’ve rejected,
for the lives so deeply scarred?
And each light that we’ve extinguished
has brought darkness to our land:
upon our nation, upon our nation
have mercy, Lord!

2. We have scorned the truth you gave us,
we have bowed to other lords,
we have sacrificed the children
on the altars of our gods.
O, let truth again shine on us,
let your holy fear descend:
upon our nation, upon our nation
have mercy, Lord!

3. Who can stand before your anger;
who can face your piercing eyes?
For you love the weak and helpless,
and you hear the victims’ cries.
Yes, you are a God of justice
and your judgement surely comes:
upon our nation, upon our nation
have mercy, Lord!

4. Who will stand against the violence?
Who will comfort those who mourn?
In an age of cruel rejection,
who will build for love a home?
Come and shake us into action,
come and melt our hearts of stone:
upon your people, upon your people
have mercy, Lord!

5. Who can sound the depths of mercy
in the father-heart of God?
For there is a man of sorrows
who for sinners shed his blood.
He can heal the wounds of nations,
he can wash the guilty clean:
because of Jesus, because of Jesus,
have mercy, Lord!