Adventist Pioneer Library

The Christian — Unfaithfulness Lamented

How long, O Lord, shall I complain

  • No. 571
  • Words Isaac Watts.
  • 3 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

How long, O Lord, shall I complain,Like one that seeks his God in vain?How long my soul thine absence mourn,And still despair of thy return?

2

How long shall my poor troubled breastBe with these anxious thoughts opprest?If thou withhold thy heavenly light,I sleep in everlasting night.

3

Hear, Lord, and grant me quick relief,Thy mercy now shall end my grief;For I have trusted in thy grace,And shall again behold thy face.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «571» (large) at the top of the right column of p. 186, directly under the music of hymn 569; reference line «256, 168, 51.» in italic figures beside it (sing to the tune of hymn 256, 168 or 51); three stanzas numbered «1»–«3» without periods (written «1.»–«3.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book); «Isaac Watts.» in italics at the end. The first word «How» appears in ordinary capital and lower case (its «ow» has the same height as the «ow» of «How long» in stanza 1 line 3 and stanza 2 line 1; the opening words of hymns 570 and 572, «OH» and «MY», are in small capitals). All four lines of each stanza are set flush (no alternating indentation). The print sets a thin space before «?» and «;» («vain ?», «return ?», «opprest ?», «grief ;»); it is closed up here. Spelling («opprest», «withhold») and capitals are the print's. No meter is printed (the text is L. M., 8.8.8.8).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
The Christian — Unfaithfulness Lamented · No. 571 · printed page 186
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-10-01