1. Depth of mercy! Can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear, Me, the chief of sinners, spare? 2. I have long withstood His grace, Long provoked Him to His face, Would not hearken to His calls, Grieved Him by a thousand falls. 3. I have spilt His precious blood, Trampled on the Son of God, Filled with pangs unspeakable, I, who yet am not in hell! 4. I my Master have denied, I afresh have crucified, And profaned His hallowed Name, Put Him to an open shame. 5. Whence to me this waste of love? Ask my Advocate above! See the cause in Jesus' face, Now before the throne of grace. 6. Jesus, answer from above, Is not all Thy nature love? Wilt Thou not the wrong forget, Permit me to kiss Thy feet? 7. If I rightly read Thy heart, If Thou all compassion art, Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow, Pardon and accept me now. 8. Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood! He disarms the wrath of God; Now my Father's mercies move, Justice lingers into love. 9. Kindled His relentings are, Me He now delights to spare, Cries, "How shall I give thee up?" Lets the lifted thunder drop. 10. Lo! I still walk on the ground: Lo! an Advocate is found: "Hasten not to cut Him down, Let this barren soul alone." 11. There for me the Savior stands, Shows His wounds and spreads His hands. God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps and loves me still. 12. Pity from Thine eye let fall, By a look my soul recall; Now the stone to flesh convert, Cast a look, and break my heart. 13. Now incline me to repent, Let me now my sins lament, Now my foul revolt deplore, Weep, believe, and sin no more.
Lyrics: Charles
Wesley
Music: Orlando Gibbons
Tune: CANTERBURY
Meter: 7.7.7.7.
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788
Although Charles Wesley had been trained for the Anglican church ministry and had been active in religious activities, there came a time when he realized that he had never personally experienced God’s love and mercy. His crisis experience occurred on May 20, 1738, as he met with a small group of Moravian believers in the Aldersgate Hall in London, England. That evening he wrote in his journal:
At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking. I had the continual experience of His power to overcome all temptation, and confessed, with joy and surprise, that He was able to do exceedingly abundantly for me above what I can ask or think.
Following his “heart-warming” experience at Aldersgate, Charles with his brother John developed an intense desire to bring others to a personal conversion experience and to teach the great truths of the Scripture. To aid in these endeavors, Charles Wesley wrote more than 6500 hymn texts on every aspect of the Christian life, fitting them to any popular tune that suited the meter and message of the lines.
The Wesleys spread their message of God’s mercy and His power to transform lives to all social classes. They spent much time ministering to the cruelly treated prisoners of Newgate Prison in London and visited the dreadful Bedlam, a dungeon for the insane.
“Depth of Mercy” first appeared in the Wesley hymnal, Hymns and Sacred Poems, in 1741. It had thirteen stanzas and was titled “After a Relapse Into Sin.” These words suggest the personal experience of Charles before and after his “heart-warming” spiritual experience at Aldersgate.