That Great Awful Dread

How can it be that

The great awful dread

Of Mt. Sinai

That pillar of fire

Guiding wandering throngs

Through a great wilderness

That great awful dread

The dwelt between

Two golden cherubs

And cast idols upon

Their stone graven faces

That great awful dread

That sent down fire on Mt. Carmel

That great awful dread

That turns the hearts of kings

Like the course of some great river

That great awful dread

That sent armies and power

To cast his people to the wind

That great awful dread

Unapproachable without

A great fear of death

How can it be that

That great awful dread

Could cloak himself

In all the dirt and filth

Of wretched humanity

The master becomes the slave

The Creator becomes the creature

How can it be that

That great awful dread

Love personified

Could do this

This is that great paradox

All that I should rightly fear

All that I should rightly dread

Is the source of my life

And all that I love

Should I neglect that great fear

The greatness and power

Of His imposing love

For me should be lost

That I should see all

My wickedness in the

Imposing shadow of that dread

Fills me with praise

For he has loved me

And drawn me to himself

So it is that

All that I fear

And all that I love

Are embodied in

One great God

In three persons

Oh great Trinity