Category: Songs of Christ

1    Plead, Lord, with those that plead; and fight

          with those that fight with me.

2    Of shield and buckler take thou hold,

          stand up mine help to be.

3    Draw also out the spear, and do

          against them stop the way

     That me pursue: unto my soul,

          I’m thy salvation, say.

4    Let them confounded be and sham’d

          that for my soul have sought:

     Who plot my hurt turn’d back be they,

          and to confusion brought.

5    Let them be like unto the chaff

          that flies before the wind;

     And let the angel of the Lord

          pursue them hard behind.

6    With darkness cover thou their way,

          and let it slipp’ry prove;

     And let the angel of the Lord

          pursue them from above.

7    For without cause have they for me

          their net hid in a pit,

     They also have without a cause

          for my soul digged it.

8    Let ruin seize him unawares;

          his net he hid withal

     Himself let catch; and in the same

          destruction let him fall.

9    My soul in God shall joy; and glad

          in his salvation be:

10   And all my bones shall say, O Lord,

          who is like unto thee,

     Which dost the poor set free from him

          that is for him too strong;

     The poor and needy from the man

          that spoils and does him wrong?

11   False witnesses rose; to my charge

          things I not knew they laid.

12   They, to the spoiling of my soul,

          me ill for good repaid.

13   But as for me, when they were sick,

          in sackcloth sad I mourn’d:

     My humbled soul did fast, my pray’r

          into my bosom turn’d.

14   Myself I did behave as he

          had been my friend or brother;

     I heavily bow’d down, as one

          that mourneth for his mother.

15   But in my trouble they rejoic’d,

          gath’ring themselves together;

     Yea, abjects vile together did

          themselves against me gather:

     I knew it not; they did me tear,

          and quiet would not be.

16   With mocking hypocrites, at feasts

          they gnash’d their teeth at me.

17   How long, Lord, look’st thou on? from those

          destructions they intend

     Rescue my soul, from lions young

          my darling do defend.

18   I will give thanks to thee, O Lord,

          within th’ assembly great;

     And where much people gather’d are

          thy praises forth will set.

19   Let not my wrongful enemies

          proudly rejoice o’er me;

     Nor who me hate without a cause,

          let them wink with the eye.

20   For peace they do not speak at all;

          but crafty plots prepare

     Against all those within the land

          that meek and quiet are.

21   With mouths set wide, they ‘gainst me said,

          Ha, ha! our eye doth see.

22   Lord, thou hast seen, hold not thy peace;

          Lord, be not far from me.

23   Stir up thyself; wake, that thou may’st

          judgment to me afford,

     Ev’n to my cause, O thou that art

          my only God and Lord.

24   O Lord my God, do thou me judge

          after thy righteousness;

     And let them not their joy ‘gainst me

          triumphantly express:

25   Nor let them say within their hearts,

          Ah, we would have it thus;

     Nor suffer them to say, that he

          is swallow’d up by us.

26   Sham’d and confounded be they all

          that at my hurt are glad;

     Let those against me that do boast

          with shame and scorn be clad.

27   Let them that love my righteous cause

          be glad, shout, and not cease

     To say, The Lord be magnify’d,

          who loves his servant’s peace.

28   Thy righteousness shall also be

          declared by my tongue;

     The praises that belong to thee

          speak shall it all day long.

1    The wicked man’s transgression

          within my heart thus says,

     Undoubtedly the fear of God

          is not before his eyes.

2    Because himself he flattereth

          in his own blinded eye,

     Until the hatefulness be found

          of his iniquity.

3    Words from his mouth proceeding are,

          fraud and iniquity:

     He to be wise, and to do good,

          hath left off utterly.

4    He mischief, lying on his bed,

          most cunningly doth plot:

     He sets himself in ways not good,

          ill he abhorreth not.

5    Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heav’ns;

          thy truth doth reach the clouds:

6    Thy justice is like mountains great;

          thy judgments deep as floods:

     Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

7         How precious is thy grace!

     Therefore in shadow of thy wings

          men’s sons their trust shall place.

8    They with the fatness of thy house

          shall be well satisfy’d;

     From rivers of thy pleasures thou

          wilt drink to them provide.

9    Because of life the fountain pure

          remains alone with thee;

     And in that purest light of thine

          we clearly light shall see.

10   Thy loving-kindness unto them

          continue that thee know;

     And still on men upright in heart

          thy righteousness bestow.

11   Let not the foot of cruel pride

          come, and against me stand;

     And let me not removed be,

          Lord, by the wicked’s hand.

12   There fallen are they, and ruined,

          that work iniquities:

     Cast down they are, and never shall

          be able to arise.

1    Jehovah hear thee in the day

          when trouble he doth send:

     And let the name of Jacob’s God

          thee from all ill defend.

2    O let him help send from above,

          out of his sanctuary:

     From Sion, his own holy hill,

          let him give strength to thee.

3    Let him remember all thy gifts,

          accept thy sacrifice:

4    Grant thee thine heart’s wish, and fulfil

          thy thoughts and counsel wise.

5    In thy salvation we will joy;

          in our God’s name we will

     Display our banners: and the Lord

          thy prayers all fulfil.

6    Now know I God his king doth save:

          he from his holy heav’n

     Will hear him, with the saving strength

          by his own right hand giv’n.

7    In chariots some put confidence,

          some horses trust upon:

     But we remember will the name

          of our Lord God alone.

8    We rise, and upright stand, when they

          are bowed down, and fall.

9    Deliver, Lord; and let the King

          us hear, when we do call.

TUNE: There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood

1    Ye righteous, in the Lord rejoice;
          it comely is and right,
     That upright men, with thankful voice,
          should praise the Lord of might.

2    Praise God with harp, and unto him
          sing with the psaltery;
     Upon a ten-string’d instrument
          make ye sweet melody.

3    A new song to him sing, and play
          with loud noise skilfully;
4    For right is God’s word, all his works
          are done in verity.

5    To judgment and to righteousness
          a love he beareth still;
     The loving-kindness of the Lord
          the earth throughout doth fill.

6    The heavens by the word of God
          did their beginning take;
     And by the breathing of his mouth
          he all their hosts did make.

7    The waters of the seas he brings
          together as an heap;
     And in storehouses, as it were,
          he layeth up the deep.

8    Let earth, and all that live therein,
          with rev’rence fear the Lord;
     Let all the world’s inhabitants
          dread him with one accord.

9    For he did speak the word, and done
          it was without delay;
     Established it firmly stood,
          whatever he did say.

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10   God doth the counsel bring to nought

          which heathen folk do take;

     And what the people do devise

          of none effect doth make.

11   O but the counsel of the Lord

          doth stand for ever sure;

     And of his heart the purposes

          from age to age endure.

12   That nation blessed is, whose God

          Jehovah is, and those

     A blessed people are, whom for

          his heritage he chose.

13   The Lord from heav’n sees and beholds

          all sons of men full well:

14   He views all from his dwelling-place

          that in the earth do dwell.

15   He forms their hearts alike, and all

          their doings he observes.

16   Great hosts save not a king, much strength

          no mighty man preserves.

17   An horse for preservation

          is a deceitful thing;

     And by the greatness of his strength

          can no deliv’rance bring.

18   Behold on those that do him fear

          the Lord doth set his eye;

     Ev’n those who on his mercy do

          with confidence rely.

19   From death to free their soul, in dearth

          life unto them to yield.

20   Our soul doth wait upon the Lord;

          he is our help and shield.

21   Sith in his holy name we trust,

          our heart shall joyful be.

22   Lord, let thy mercy be on us,

          as we do hope in thee.

1    God will I bless all times; his praise
          my mouth shall still express.
2    My soul shall boast in God: the meek
          shall hear with joyfulness.

3    Extol the Lord with me, let us
          exalt his name together.
4    I sought the Lord, he heard, and did
          me from all fears deliver.

5    They look’d to him, and lighten’d were:
          not shamed were their faces.
6    This poor man cry’d, God heard, and sav’d
          him from all his distresses.

7    The angel of the Lord encamps,
          and round encompasseth
     All those about that do him fear,
          and them delivereth.

8    O taste and see that God is good:
          who trusts in him is bless’d.
9    Fear God his saints: none that him fear
          shall be with want oppress’d.

10   The lions young may hungry be,
          and they may lack their food:
     But they that truly seek the Lord
          shall not lack any good.

11   O children, hither do ye come,
          and unto me give ear;
     I shall you teach to understand
          how ye the Lord should fear.

12   What man is he that life desires,
          to see good would live long?
13   Thy lips refrain from speaking guile,
          and from ill words thy tongue.

14   Depart from ill, do good, seek peace,
          pursue it earnestly.
15   God’s eyes are on the just; his ears
          are open to their cry.

16   The face of God is set against
          those that do wickedly,
     That he may quite out from the earth
          cut off their memory.

17   The righteous cry unto the Lord,
          he unto them gives ear;
     And they out of their troubles all
          by him deliver’d are.

18   The Lord is ever nigh to them
          that be of broken sp’rit;
     To them he safety doth afford
          that are in heart contrite.

19   The troubles that afflict the just
          in number many be;
     But yet at length out of them all
          the Lord doth set him free.

20   He carefully his bones doth keep,
          whatever can befall;
     That not so much as one of them
          can broken be at all.

21     Ill shall the wicked slay; laid waste
          shall be who hate the just.
22     The Lord redeems his servants’ souls;
          none perish that him trust.