Category: Songs of Christ

First Version (C.M.)

1    My heart brings forth a goodly thing;

          my words that I indite

     Concern the King: my tongue’s a pen

          of one that swift doth write.

2    Thou fairer art than sons of men:

          into thy lips is store

     Of grace infus’d; God therefore thee

          hath bless’d for evermore.

3    O thou that art the mighty One,

          thy sword gird on thy thigh;

     Ev’n with thy glory excellent,

          and with thy majesty.

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Tune = All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

4    For meekness, truth, and righteousness,
          in state ride prosp’rously;
     And thy right hand shall thee instruct
          in things that fearful be.

5    Thine arrows sharply pierce the heart
          of th’ en’mies of the King;
     And under thy subjection
          the people down do bring.

6    For ever and for ever is,
          O God, thy throne of might;
     The sceptre of thy kingdom is
          a sceptre that is right.

7    Thou lovest right, and hatest ill;
          for God, thy God, most high,
     Above thy fellows hath with th’ oil
          of joy anointed thee.

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8    Of aloes, myrrh, and cassia,

          a smell thy garments had,

     Out of the iv’ry palaces,

          whereby they made thee glad.

9    Among thy women honourable

          kings’ daughters were at hand:

     Upon thy right hand did the queen

          in gold of Ophir stand.

10   O daughter, hearken and regard,

          and do thine ear incline;

     Likewise forget thy father’s house,

          and people that are thine.

11   Then of the King desir’d shall be

          thy beauty veh’mently:

     Because he is thy Lord, do thou

          him worship rev’rently.

12   The daughter there of Tyre shall be

          with gifts and off ‘rings great:

     Those of the people that are rich

          thy favour shall entreat.

13   Behold, the daughter of the King

          all glorious is within;

     And with embroideries of gold

          her garments wrought have been.

14   She shall be brought unto the King

          in robes with needle wrought;

     Her fellow-virgins following

          shall unto thee be brought.

15   They shall be brought with gladness great,

          and mirth on ev’ry side,

     Into the palace of the King,

          and there they shall abide.

16   Instead of those thy fathers dear,

          thy children thou may’st take,

     And in all places of the earth

          them noble princes make.

17   Thy name remember’d I will make

          through ages all to be:

     The people therefore evermore

          shall praises give to thee.

Second Version (S.M.)

1    My heart inditing is

          good matter in a song:

     I speak the things that I have made,

          which to the King belong:

     My tongue shall be as quick,

          his honour to indite,

     As is the pen of any scribe

          that useth fast to write.

2    Thou’rt fairest of all men;

          grace in thy lips doth flow:

     And therefore blessings evermore

          on thee doth God bestow.

3    Thy sword gird on thy thigh,

          thou that art most of might:

     Appear in dreadful majesty,

          and in thy glory bright.

4    For meekness, truth, and right,

          ride prosp’rously in state;

     And thy right hand shall teach to thee

          things terrible and great.

5    Thy shafts shall pierce their hearts

          that foes are to the King;

     Whereby into subjection

          the people thou shalt bring.

6    Thy royal seat, O Lord,

          for ever shall remain:

     The sceptre of thy kingdom doth

          all righteousness maintain.

7    Thou lov’st right, and hat’st ill;

          for God, thy God, most high,

     Above thy fellows hath with th’ oil

          of joy anointed thee.

8    Of myrrh and spices sweet

          a smell thy garments had,

     Out of the iv’ry palaces,

          whereby they made thee glad.

9    And in thy glorious train

          kings’ daughters waiting stand;

     And thy fair queen, in Ophir gold,

          doth stand at thy right hand.

10   O daughter, take good heed,

          incline, and give good ear;

     Thou must forget thy kindred all,

          and father’s house most dear.

11   Thy beauty to the King

          shall then delightful be:

     And do thou humbly worship him,

          because thy Lord is he.

12   The daughter then of Tyre

          there with a gift shall be,

     And all the wealthy of the land

          shall make their suit to thee.

13   The daughter of the King

          all glorious is within;

     And with embroideries of gold

          her garments wrought have been.

14   She cometh to the King

          in robes with needle wrought;

     The virgins that do follow her

          shall unto thee be brought.

15   They shall be brought with joy,

          and mirth on ev’ry side,

     Into the palace of the King,

          and there they shall abide.

16   And in thy fathers’ stead,

          thy children thou may’st take,

     And in all places of the earth

          them noble princes make.

17   I will shew forth thy name

          to generations all:

     Therefore the people evermore

          to thee give praises shall.

Tune = God Moves in A Mysterious Way

v 1    Shew mercy, Lord, to me, for man
          would swallow me outright;
     He me oppresseth, while he doth
          against me daily fight.

v 2    They daily would me swallow up
          that hate me spitefully;
     For they be many that do fight
          against me, O most High.

c 3    When I’m afraid I’ll trust in thee:
4         In God I’ll praise his word;
     I will not fear what flesh can do,
          my trust is in the Lord.

v 5    Each day they wrest my words; their thoughts
          ‘gainst me are all for ill.
6    They meet, they lurk, they mark my steps,
          waiting my soul to kill.

v 7    But shall they by iniquity
          escape thy judgments so?
     O God, with indignation down
          do thou the people throw.

c 8    My wand’rings all what they have been
          thou know’st, their number took;
     Into thy bottle put my tears:
          are they not in thy book?

v 9    My foes shall, when I cry, turn back;
          I know’t, God is for me.
10   In God his word I’ll praise; his word
        in God shall praised be.

v 11   In God I trust; I will not fear
          what man can do to me.
12   Thy vows upon me are, O God:
          I’ll render praise to thee.

c 13   Wilt thou not, who from death me sav’d,
          my feet from falls keep free,
     To walk before God in the light
          of those that living be?

1    Judge me, O God, and plead my cause

          against th’ ungodly nation;

     From the unjust and crafty man,

          O be thou my salvation.

2    For thou the God art of my strength;

          why thrusts thou me thee fro’?

     For th’ enemy’s oppression

          why do I mourning go?

3    O send thy light forth and thy truth;

          let them be guides to me,

     And bring me to thine holy hill,

          ev’n where thy dwellings be.

4    Then will I to God’s altar go,

          to God my chiefest joy:

     Yea, God, my God, thy name to praise

          my harp I will employ.

5    Why art thou then cast down, my soul?

          what should discourage thee?

     And why with vexing thoughts art thou

          disquieted in me?

     Still trust in God; for him to praise

          good cause I yet shall have:

     He of my count’nance is the health,

          my God that doth me save.

1    That there is not a God, the fool

          doth in his heart conclude:

     They are corrupt, their works are vile,

          not one of them doth good.

2    The Lord upon the sons of men

          from heav’n did cast his eyes,

     To see if any one there was

          that sought God, and was wise.

3    They altogether filthy are,

          they all are backward gone;

     And there is none that doeth good,

          no, not so much as one.

4    These workers of iniquity,

          do they not know at all,

     That they my people eat as bread,

          and on God do not call?

5    Ev’n there they were afraid, and stood

          with trembling, all dismay’d,

     Whereas there was no cause at all

          why they should be afraid:

     For God his bones that thee besieg’d

          hath scatter’d all abroad;

     Thou hast confounded them, for they

          despised are of God.

6    Let Isr’el’s help from Sion come:

          when back the Lord shall bring

     His captives, Jacob shall rejoice,

          and Israel shall sing.

First Version (S.M.)
Tune: Crown Him with Many Crowns

1    The mighty God, the Lord,
          hath spoken, and did call
     The earth, from rising of the sun,
          to where he hath his fall.

2    From out of Sion hill,
          which of excellency
     And beauty the perfection is,
          God shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall surely come,
          keep silence shall not he:
     Before him fire shall waste, great storms
          shall round about him be.

4    Unto the heavens clear
          he from above shall call,
     And to the earth likewise, that he
          may judge his people all.

5    Together let my saints
          unto me gather’d be,
     Those that by sacrifice have made
          a covenant with me.

6    And then the heavens shall
          his righteousness declare:
     Because the Lord himself is he
          by whom men judged are.

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7    My people Isr’el hear,

          speak will I from on high,

     Against thee I will testify;

          God, ev’n thy God, am I.

8    I for thy sacrifice

          no blame will on thee lay,

     Nor for burnt-off ‘rings, which to me

          thou offer’dst ev’ry day.

9    I’ll take no calf nor goats

          from house or fold of thine:

10   For beasts of forests, cattle all

          on thousand hills, are mine.

11   The fowls on mountains high

          are all to me well known;

     Wild beasts which in the fields do lie,

          ev’n they are all mine own.

12   Then, if I hungry were,

          I would not tell it thee;

     Because the world, and fulness all

          thereof, belongs to me.

13   Will I eat flesh of bulls?

          or goats’ blood drink will I?

14   Thanks offer thou to God, and pay

          thy vows to the most High.

15   And call upon me when

          in trouble thou shalt be;

     I will deliver thee, and thou

          my name shalt glorify.

16   But to the wicked man

          God saith, My laws and truth

     Should’st thou declare? how dar’st thou take

          my cov’nant in thy mouth?

17   Sith thou instruction hat’st,

          which should thy ways direct;

     And sith my words behind thy back

          thou cast’st, and dost reject.

18   When thou a thief didst see,

          with him thou didst consent;

     And with the vile adulterers

          partaker on thou went.

19   Thou giv’st thy mouth to ill,

          thy tongue deceit doth frame;

20   Thou sitt’st, and ‘gainst thy brother speak’st,

          thy mother’s son dost shame.

21   Because I silence kept,

          while thou these things hast wrought;

     That I was altogether like

          thyself, hath been thy thought;

     Yet I will thee reprove,

          and set before thine eyes,

     In order ranked, thy misdeeds

          and thine iniquities.

22   Now, ye that God forget,

          this carefully consider;

     Lest I in pieces tear you all,

          and none can you deliver.

23   Whoso doth offer praise

          me glorifies; and I

     Will shew him God’s salvation,

          that orders right his way.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    The mighty God, the Lord, hath spoke,

          and call’d the earth upon,

     Ev’n from the rising of the sun

          unto his going down.

2    From out of Sion, his own hill,

          where the perfection high

     Of beauty is, from thence the Lord

          hath shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall come, and shall no more

          be silent, but speak out:

     Before him fire shall waste, great storms

          shall compass him about.

4    He to the heavens from above,

          and to the earth below,

     Shall call, that he his judgments may

          before his people show.

5    Let all my saints together be

          unto me gathered;

     Those that by sacrifice with me

          a covenant have made.

6    And then the heavens shall declare

          his righteousness abroad:

     Because the Lord himself doth come;

          none else is judge but God.

7    Hear, O my people, and I’ll speak;

          O Israel by name,

     Against thee I will testify;

          God, ev’n thy God, I am.

8    I for thy sacrifices few

          reprove thee never will,

     Nor for burnt-off ‘rings to have been

          before me offer’d still.

9    I’ll take no bullock nor he-goats

          from house nor folds of thine:

10   For beasts of forests, cattle all

          on thousand hills, are mine.

11   The fowls are all to me well known

          that mountains high do yield;

     And I do challenge as mine own

          the wild beasts of the field.

12   If I were hungry, I would not

          to thee for need complain;

     For earth, and all its fulness, doth

          to me of right pertain.

13   That I to eat the flesh of bulls

          take pleasure dost thou think?

     Or that I need, to quench my thirst,

          the blood of goats to drink?

14   Nay, rather unto me, thy God,

          thanksgiving offer thou:

     To the most High perform thy word,

          and fully pay thy vow:

15   And in the day of trouble great

          see that thou call on me;

     I will deliver thee, and thou

          my name shalt glorify.

16   But God unto the wicked saith,

          Why should’st thou mention make

     Of my commands? how dar’st thou in

          thy mouth my cov’nant take?

17   Sith it is so that thou dost hate

          all good instruction;

     And sith thou cast’st behind thy back,

          and slight’st my words each one.

18   When thou a thief didst see, then straight

          thou join’dst with him in sin,

     And with the vile adulterers

          thou hast partaker been.

19   Thy mouth to evil thou dost give,

          thy tongue deceit doth frame.

20   Thou sitt’st, and ‘gainst thy brother speak’st,

          thy mother’s son to shame.

21   These things thou wickedly hast done,

          and I have silent been:

     Thou thought’st that I was like thyself,

          and did approve thy sin:

     But I will sharply thee reprove,

          and I will order right

     Thy sins and thy transgressions

          in presence of thy sight.

22   Consider this, and be afraid,

          ye that forget the Lord,

     Lest I in pieces tear you all,

          when none can help afford.

23   Who off’reth praise me glorifies:

          I will shew God’s salvation

     To him that ordereth aright

          his life and conversation.

1    Do ye, O congregation,

          indeed speak righteousness?

     O ye that are the sons of men,

          judge ye with uprightness?

2    Yea, ev’n within your very hearts

          ye wickedness have done;

     And ye the vi’lence of your hands

          do weigh the earth upon.

3    The wicked men estranged are,

          ev’n from the very womb;

     They, speaking lies, do stray as soon

          as to the world they come.

4    Unto a serpent’s poison like

          their poison doth appear;

     Yea, they are like the adder deaf,

          that closely stops her ear;

5    That so she may not hear the voice

          of one that charm her would,

     No, not though he most cunning were,

          and charm most wisely could.

6    Their teeth, O God, within their mouth

          break thou in pieces small;

     The great teeth break thou out, O Lord,

          of these young lions all.

7    Let them like waters melt away,

          which downward still do flow:

     In pieces cut his arrows all,

          when he shall bend his bow.

8    Like to a snail that melts away,

          let each of them be gone;

     Like woman’s birth untimely, that

          they never see the sun.

9    He shall them take away before

          your pots the thorns can find,

     Both living, and in fury great,

          as with a stormy wind.

10   The righteous, when he vengeance sees,

          he shall be joyful then;

     The righteous one shall wash his feet

          in blood of wicked men.

11   So men shall say, The righteous man

          reward shall never miss:

     And verily upon the earth

          a God to judge there is.

1    All people, clap your hands; to God

          with voice of triumph shout:

2    For dreadful is the Lord most high,

          great King the earth throughout.

3    The heathen people under us

          he surely shall subdue;

     And he shall make the nations

          under our feet to bow.

4    The lot of our inheritance

          chuse out for us shall he,

     Of Jacob, whom he loved well,

          ev’n the excellency.

5    God is with shouts gone up, the Lord

          with trumpets sounding high.

6    Sing praise to God, sing praise, sing praise,

          praise to our King sing ye.

7    For God is King of all the earth;

          with knowledge praise express.

8    God rules the nations: God sits on

          his throne of holiness.

9    The princes of the people are

          assembled willingly;

     Ev’n of the God of Abraham

          they who the people be.

     For why? the shields that do defend

          the earth are only his:

     They to the Lord belong; yea, he

          exalted greatly is.

1    Be merciful to me, O God;

          thy mercy unto me

     Do thou extend; because my soul

          doth put her trust in thee:

     Yea, in the shadow of thy wings

          my refuge I will place,

     Until these sad calamities

          do wholly overpass.

2    My cry I will cause to ascend

          unto the Lord most high;

     To God, who doth all things for me

          perform most perfectly.

3    From heav’n he shall send down, and me

          from his reproach defend

     That would devour me: God his truth

          and mercy forth shall send.

4    My soul among fierce lions is,

          I firebrands live among,

     Men’s sons, whose teeth are spears and darts,

          a sharp sword is their tongue.

5    Be thou exalted very high

          above the heav’ns, O God;

     Let thou thy glory be advanc’d

          o’er all the earth abroad.

6    My soul’s bow’d down; for they a net

          have laid, my steps to snare:

     Into the pit which they have digg’d

          for me, they fallen are.

7    My heart is fix’d, my heart is fix’d,

          O God; I’ll sing and praise.

8    My glory wake; wake psalt’ry, harp;

          myself I’ll early raise.

9    I’ll praise thee ‘mong the people, Lord;

          ‘mong nations sing will I:

10   For great to heav’n thy mercy is,

          thy truth is to the sky.

11   O Lord, exalted be thy name

          above the heav’ns to stand:

     Do thou thy glory far advance

          above both sea and land.

1    O God, we with our ears have heard,

          our fathers have us told,

     What works thou in their days hadst done,

          ev’n in the days of old.

2    Thy hand did drive the heathen out,

          and plant them in their place;

     Thou didst afflict the nations,

          but them thou didst increase.

3    For neither got their sword the land,

          nor did their arm them save;

     But thy right hand, arm, countenance;

          for thou them favour gave.

4    Thou art my King: for Jacob, Lord,

          deliv’rances command.

5    Through thee we shall push down our foes,

          that do against us stand:

     We, through thy name, shall tread down those

          that ris’n against us have.

6    For in my bow I shall not trust,

          nor shall my sword me save.

7    But from our foes thou hast us sav’d,

          our haters put to shame.

8    In God we all the day do boast,

          and ever praise thy name.

9    But now we are cast off by thee,

          and us thou putt’st to shame;

     And when our armies do go forth,

          thou go’st not with the same.

10   Thou mak’st us from the enemy,

          faint-hearted, to turn back;

     And they who hate us for themselves

          our spoils away do take.

11   Like sheep for meat thou gavest us;

          ‘mong heathen cast we be.

12   Thou didst for nought thy people sell;

          their price enrich’d not thee.

13   Thou mak’st us a reproach to be

          unto our neighbours near;

     Derision and a scorn to them

          that round about us are.

14   A by-word also thou dost us

          among the heathen make;

     The people, in contempt and spite,

          at us their heads do shake.

15   Before me my confusion

          continually abides;

     And of my bashful countenance

          the shame me ever hides:

16   For voice of him that doth reproach,

          and speaketh blasphemy;

     By reason of th’ avenging foe,

          and cruel enemy.

17   All this is come on us, yet we

          have not forgotten thee;

     Nor falsely in thy covenant

          behav’d ourselves have we.

18   Back from thy way our heart not turn’d;

          our steps no straying made;

19   Though us thou brak’st in dragons’ place,

          and cover’dst with death’s shade.

20   If we God’s name forgot, or stretch’d

          to a strange god our hands,

21   Shall not God search this out? for he

          heart’s secrets understands.

22   Yea, for thy sake we’re kill’d all day,

          counted as slaughter-sheep.

23   Rise, Lord, cast us not ever off;

          awake, why dost thou sleep?

24    O wherefore hidest thou thy face?

          forgett’st our cause distress’d,

25    And our oppression? For our soul

          is to the dust down press’d:

     Our belly also on the earth

          fast cleaving, hold doth take.

26    Rise for our help, and us redeem,

          ev’n for thy mercies’ sake.

1    Lord, hear my pray’r, hide not thyself

          from my entreating voice:

2    Attend and hear me; in my plaint

          I mourn and make a noise.

3    Because of th’ en’my’s voice, and for

          lewd men’s oppression great:

     On me they cast iniquity,

          and they in wrath me hate.

4    Sore pain’d within me is my heart:

          death’s terrors on me fall.

5    On me comes trembling, fear and dread

          o’erwhelmed me withal.

6    O that I, like a dove, had wings,

          said I, then would I flee

     Far hence, that I might find a place

          where I in rest might be.

7    Lo, then far off I wander would,

          and in the desert stay;

8    From windy storm and tempest I

          would haste to ‘scape away.

9    O Lord, on them destruction bring,

          and do their tongues divide;

     For in the city violence

          and strife I have espy’d.

10   They day and night upon the walls

          do go about it round:

     There mischief is, and sorrow there

          in midst of it is found.

11   Abundant wickedness there is

          within her inward part;

     And from her streets deceitfulness

          and guile do not depart.

12   He was no foe that me reproach’d,

          then that endure I could;

     Nor hater that did ‘gainst me boast,

          from him me hide I would.

13   But thou, man, who mine equal, guide,

          and mine acquaintance wast:

14   We join’d sweet counsels, to God’s house

          in company we past.

15   Let death upon them seize, and down

          let them go quick to hell;

     For wickedness doth much abound

          among them where they dwell.

16   I’ll call on God: God will me save.

17        I’ll pray, and make a noise

     At ev’ning, morning, and at noon;

          and he shall hear my voice.

18   He hath my soul delivered,

          that it in peace might be

     From battle that against me was;

          for many were with me.

19   The Lord shall hear, and them afflict,

          of old who hath abode:

     Because they never changes have,

          therefore they fear not God.

20  ‘Gainst those that were at peace with him

          he hath put forth his hand:

     The covenant that he had made,

          by breaking he profan’d.

21   More smooth than butter were his words,

          while in his heart was war;

     His speeches were more soft than oil,

          and yet drawn swords they are.

22   Cast thou thy burden on the Lord,

          and he shall thee sustain;

     Yea, he shall cause the righteous man

          unmoved to remain.

23   But thou, O Lord my God, those men

          in justice shalt o’erthrow,

     And in destruction’s dungeon dark

          at last shalt lay them low:

     The bloody and deceitful men

          shall not live half their days:

     But upon thee with confidence

          I will depend always.