{"slug": "god-be-merciful-to-me", "title": "A Penitent's Plea", "first_line": "God, be merciful to me", "author_source": "The Psalter, 1912", "foot": "iambic", "meter": {"pattern": [7, 7, 7, 7], "doubled": true, "refrain": false, "alleluia": false, "irregular": false}, "psalm": 51, "topics": ["Psalms"], "scripture": ["Psalm 51"], "provenance": {"layer": "text", "source": "psalter-1912", "source_kind": "open_encoding", "encoding_origin": "hymnary.org (selection 142) via the Wayback Machine; cross-verified against two independently scanned printings (archive.org OCR)", "pd_basis": "pub_pre_1931", "pd_evidence": "The Psalter, United Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1912 \u2014 Psalm 51, selection 142. Imported by tools/psalter1912_import.py: word-bag attested by both scans; every line machine-scanned to the metre.", "pd_jurisdictions": {"US": true}}, "stanzas": {"1": {"syllabified": "God, be mer -- ci -- ful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea; Plen -- teous in com -- pas -- sion Thou, Blot out my trans -- gres -- sion now; Wash me, make me pure with -- in, Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin, Wash me, make me pure with -- in, Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.", "prose": ["God, be merciful to me,", "On Thy grace I rest my plea;", "Plenteous in compassion Thou,", "Blot out my transgression now;", "Wash me, make me pure within,", "Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin,", "Wash me, make me pure within,", "Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin."]}, "2": {"syllabified": "I am e -- vil born in sin; Thou de -- sir -- ed truth with -- in. Thou a -- lone my Sav -- iour art, Teach Thy wis -- dom to my heart; Make me pure, Thy grace be -- stow, Wash me whit -- er than the snow, Make me pure, Thy grace be -- stow, Wash me whit -- er than the snow.", "prose": ["I am evil born in sin;", "Thou desired truth within.", "Thou alone my Saviour art,", "Teach Thy wisdom to my heart;", "Make me pure, Thy grace bestow,", "Wash me whiter than the snow,", "Make me pure, Thy grace bestow,", "Wash me whiter than the snow."]}, "3": {"syllabified": "Gra -- cious God, my heart re -- new, Make my spir -- it right and tree; Cast me not a -- way from Thee, Let Thy Spir -- it dwell in me; Thy salvat -- io -- n's joy im -- part, Stead -- fast make my wil -- ling heart, Thy salvat -- io -- n's joy im -- part, Stead -- fast make my wil -- ling heart.", "prose": ["Gracious God, my heart renew,", "Make my spirit right and tree;", "Cast me not away from Thee,", "Let Thy Spirit dwell in me;", "Thy salvation's joy impart,", "Steadfast make my willing heart,", "Thy salvation's joy impart,", "Steadfast make my willing heart."]}, "4": {"syllabified": "Sin -- ners then shall learn from me And re -- turn, O God, to Thee; Sav -- iour, all my guilt re -- move, And my tongue shall sing Thy love; Touch my si -- lent lips, O Lord, And my mouth shall praise ac -- cord, Touch my si -- lent lips, O Lord, And my mouth shall praise ac -- cord.", "prose": ["Sinners then shall learn from me", "And return, O God, to Thee;", "Saviour, all my guilt remove,", "And my tongue shall sing Thy love;", "Touch my silent lips, O Lord,", "And my mouth shall praise accord,", "Touch my silent lips, O Lord,", "And my mouth shall praise accord."]}}, "license": "The hymn texts and tunes are in the public domain; per-layer provenance is recorded on each record."}