Adventist Pioneer Library

The Sinner — Christ the Way of Life

Plunged in a gulf of dark despair

  • No. 375
  • Words Isaac Watts.
  • 4 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

Plunged in a gulf of dark despair,We wretched sinners lay,Without one cheering beam of hope,Or spark of glimmering day.

2

With pitying eyes the Prince of graceBeheld our helpless grief:He saw, and, O amazing love!He came to our relief.

3

Down from the shining courts above,With joyful haste he sped,Entered the grave in mortal flesh,And dwelt among the dead.

4

O for this love let rocks and hillsTheir lasting silence break;And all harmonious human tongues,The Saviour's praises speak.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «375» (large) with the reference line «326, 546, 147.» in italics beside it (sing to the tune of hymn 326, 546 or 147); the hymn heads the right column of p. 123, below the music of hymn 373, and ends with «Isaac Watts.» in italics. The first word «PLUNGED» is set in capitals and small capitals. The print sets a thin space before «:», «!» and «;» («grief :», «love !», «break ;»); it is closed up here. The printer's curly apostrophe is written straight («Saviour's»). Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's («Saviour's», «Entered»). Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. No meter is printed (the text is C. M., 8.6.8.6, like the three tunes of the reference line).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
The Sinner — Christ the Way of Life · No. 375 · printed page 123
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-10-01