Tag: Songs of Christ

First Version (Long Metre)

1    Lord, in thy wrath rebuke me not;

          Nor in thy hot rage chasten me.

2    Lord, pity me, for I am weak:

          Heal me, for my bones vexed be.

3    My soul is also vexed sore;

          But, Lord, how long stay wilt thou make?

4    Return, O Lord, my soul set free;

          O save me, for thy mercies’ sake.

5    Because those that deceased are

          Of thee shall no remembrance have;

     And who is he that will to thee

          Give praises lying in the grave?

6    I with my groaning weary am,

          I also all the night my bed

     Have caused for to swim; and I

          With tears my couch have watered.

7    Mine eye, consum’d with grief, grows old,

          Because of all mine enemies.

8    Hence from me, wicked workers all;

          For God hath heard my weeping cries.

9    God hath my supplication heard,

          My pray’r received graciously

10   Sham’d and sore vex’d be all my foes,

          Sham’d and back turned suddenly.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    In thy great indignation,

          O Lord, rebuke me not;

     Nor on me lay thy chast ‘ning hand,

          in thy displeasure hot.

2    Lord, I am weak, therefore on me

          have mercy, and me spare:

     Heal me, O Lord, because thou know’st

          my bones much vexed are.

3    My soul is vexed sore: but, Lord,

          how long stay wilt thou make?

4    Return, Lord, free my soul; and save

          me, for thy mercies’ sake.

5    Because of thee in death there shall

          no more remembrance be:

     Of those that in the grave do lie,

          who shall give thanks to thee?

6    I with my groaning weary am,

          and all the night my bed

     I caused for to swim; with tears

          my couch I watered.

7     By reason of my vexing grief,

          mine eye consumed is;

     It waxeth old, because of all

          that be mine enemies.

8    But now, depart from me all ye

          that work iniquity:

     For why? the Lord hath heard my voice,

          when I did mourn and cry.

9    Unto my supplication

          the Lord did hearing give:

     When I to him my prayer make,

          the Lord will it receive.

10   Let all be sham’d and troubled sore,

          That en’mies are to me;

     Let them turn back, and suddenly

          ashamed let them be.

1    Give ear unto my words, O Lord,

          my meditation weigh.

2    Hear my loud cry, my King, my God;

          for I to thee will pray.

3    Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice:

          I early will direct

     My pray’r to thee; and, looking up,

          an answer will expect.

4    For thou art not a God that doth

          in wickedness delight;

     Neither shall evil dwell with thee,

5         Nor fools stand in thy sight.

     All that ill-doers are thou hat’st;

6         Cutt’st off that liars be:

     The bloody and deceitful man

          abhorred is by thee.

7    But I into thy house will come

          in thine abundant grace;

     And I will worship in thy fear

          toward thy holy place.

8    Because of those mine enemies,

          Lord, in thy righteousness

     Do thou me lead; do thou thy way

          make straight before my face.

9    For in their mouth there is no truth,

          their inward part is ill;

     Their throat’s an open sepulchre,

          their tongue doth flatter still.

10   O God, destroy them; let them be

          by their own counsel quell’d:

     Them for their many sins cast out,

          for they ‘gainst thee rebell’d.

11   But let all joy that trust in thee,

          and still make shouting noise;

     For them thou sav’st; let all that love

          thy name in thee rejoice.

12   For, Lord, unto the righteous man

          thou wilt thy blessing yield:

     With favour thou wilt compass him

          about, as with a shield.

1    Save me, O God, because the floods

          do so environ me,

     That ev’n unto my very soul

          come in the waters be.

2    I downward in deep mire do sink,

          where standing there is none:

     I am into deep waters come,

          where floods have o’er me gone.

3    I weary with my crying am,

          my throat is also dry’d;

     Mine eyes do fail, while for my God

          I waiting do abide.

4    Those men that do without a cause

          bear hatred unto me,

     Than are the hairs upon my head

          in number more they be:

     They that would me destroy, and are

          mine en’mies wrongfully,

     Are mighty: so what I took not,

          to render forc’d was I.

     They that would me destroy, and are

          mine en’mies wrongfully,

     Are mighty: so what I took not,

          to render forc’d was I.

5    Lord, thou my folly know’st, my sins

          not cover’d are from thee.

6    Let none that wait on thee be sham’d,

          Lord God of hosts, for me.

     O Lord, the God of Israel,

          let none, who search do make,

     And seek thee, be at any time

          confounded for my sake.

7    For I have borne reproach for thee,

          my face is hid with shame.

8    To brethren strange, to mother’s sons

          an alien I became.

9    Because the zeal did eat me up,

          which to thine house I bear;

     And the reproaches cast at thee,

          upon me fallen are.

10   My tears and fasts, t’ afflict my soul,

          were turned to my shame.

11   When sackcloth I did wear, to them

          a proverb I became.

12   The men that in the gate do sit

          against me evil spake;

     They also that vile drunkards were

          of me their song did make.

13   But, in an acceptable time,

          my pray’r, Lord, is to thee:

     In truth of thy salvation, Lord,

          and mercy great, hear me.

14   Deliver me out of the mire,

          from sinking do me keep;

     Free me from those that do me hate,

          and from the waters deep.

15   Let not the flood on me prevail,

          whose water overflows;

     Nor deep me swallow, nor the pit

          her mouth upon me close.

16   Hear me, O Lord, because thy love

          and kindness is most good;

     Turn unto me, according to

          thy mercies’ multitude.

17   Nor from thy servant hide thy face:

          I’m troubled, soon attend.

18   Draw near my soul, and it redeem;

          me from my foes defend.

19   To thee is my reproach well known,

          my shame, and my disgrace:

     Those that mine adversaries be

          are all before thy face.

20   Reproach hath broke my heart; I’m full

          of grief: I look’d for one

     To pity me, but none I found;

          comforters found I none.

21   They also bitter gall did give

          unto me for my meat:

     They gave me vinegar to drink,

          when as my thirst was great.

22   Before them let their table prove

          a snare; and do thou make

     Their welfare and prosperity

          a trap themselves to take.

23   Let thou their eyes so darken’d be,

          that sight may them forsake;

     And let their loins be made by thee

          continually to shake.

24   Thy fury pour thou out on them,

          and indignation;

     And let thy wrathful anger, Lord,

          fast hold take them upon.

25   All waste and desolate let be

          their habitation;

     And in their tabernacles all

          inhabitants be none.

26   Because him they do persecute,

          whom thou didst smite before;

     They talk unto the grief of those

          whom thou hast wounded sore.

27   Add thou iniquity unto

          their former wickedness;

     And do not let them come at all

          into thy righteousness.

28   Out of the book of life let them

          be raz’d and blotted quite;

     Among the just and righteous

          let not their names be writ.

29   But now become exceeding poor

          and sorrowful am I:

     By thy salvation, O my God,

          let me be set on high.

30   The name of God I with a song

          most cheerfully will praise;

     And I, in giving thanks to him,

          his name shall highly raise.

31   This to the Lord a sacrifice

          more gracious shall prove

     Than bullock, ox, or any beast

          that hath both horn and hoof.

32   When this the humble men shall see,

          it joy to them shall give:

     O all ye that do seek the Lord,

          your hearts shall ever live.

33   For God the poor hears, and will not

          his prisoners contemn.

34   Let heav’n, and earth, and seas, him praise,

          and all that move in them.

35   For God will Judah’s cities build,

          and he will Sion save,

     That they may dwell therein, and it

          in sure possession have.

36   And they that are his servants’ seed

          inherit shall the same;

     So shall they have their dwelling there

          that love his blessed name.

1     O Lord, how are my foes increas’d?

          against me many rise.

2     Many say of my soul, For him

          in God no succour lies.

3     Yet thou my shield and glory art,

          th’ uplifter of mine head.

4     I cry’d, and, from his holy hill,

          the Lord me answer made.

5     I laid me down and slept; I wak’d;

          for God sustained me.

6     I will not fear though thousands ten

          set round against me be.

7     Arise, O Lord; save me, my God;

          for thou my foes hast stroke

      All on the cheek-bone, and the teeth

          of wicked men hast broke.

8     Salvation doth appertain

          unto the Lord alone:

      Thy blessing, Lord, for evermore

          thy people is upon.

1    O Lord, my hope and confidence         
is plac’d in thee alone;
     Then let thy servant never be
          put to confusion.

2    And let me, in thy righteousness,
          from thee deliv’rance have;
     Cause me escape, incline thine ear
          unto me, and me save.

3    Be thou my dwelling-rock, to which
          I ever may resort:
     Thou gav’st commandment me to save,
          for thou’rt my rock and fort.

4    Free me, my God, from wicked hands,
          hands cruel and unjust:
5    For thou, O Lord God, art my hope,
          and from my youth my trust.

6    Thou from the womb didst hold me up;
          thou art the same that me
     Out of my mother’s bowels took;
          I ever will praise thee.

7    To many I a wonder am;
          but thou’rt my refuge strong.
8    Fill’d let my mouth be with thy praise
          and honour all day long.

9    O do not cast me off, when as
          old age doth overtake me;
     And when my strength decayed is,
          then do not thou forsake me.

10   For those that are mine enemies
          against me speak with hate;
     And they together counsel take
          that for my soul lay wait.

11   They said, God leaves him; him pursue
          and take: none will him save.
12   Be thou not far from me, my God:
          thy speedy help I crave.

13   Confound, consume them, that unto
          my soul are enemies:
     Cloth’d be they with reproach and shame
          that do my hurt devise.

14   But I with expectation
          will hope continually;
     And yet with praises more and more
          I will thee magnify.

15   Thy justice and salvation
          my mouth abroad shall show,
     Ev’n all the day; for I thereof
          the numbers do not know.

16   And I will constantly go on
          in strength of God the Lord;
     And thine own righteousness, ev’n thine
          alone, I will record.

17   For even from my youth, O God,
          by thee I have been taught;
     And hitherto I have declar’d
          the wonders thou hast wrought.

18   And now, Lord, leave me not, when I
          old and gray-headed grow:
     Till to this age thy strength and pow’r
          to all to come I show.

19   And thy most perfect righteousness
          O Lord, is very high,
     Who hast so great things done: O God,
          who is like unto thee?

20   Thou, Lord, who great adversities,
          and sore, to me didst show,
     Shalt quicken, and bring me again
          from depths of earth below.

21   My greatness and my pow’r thou wilt
          increase, and far extend:
     On ev’ry side against all grief
          thou wilt me comfort send.

22   Thee, ev’n thy truth, I’ll also praise,
          my God, with psaltery:
     Thou Holy One of Israel,
          with harp I’ll sing to thee.

23   My lips shall much rejoice in thee,
          when I thy praises sound;
     My soul, which thou redeemed hast,
          in joy shall much abound.

24    My tongue thy justice shall proclaim,
          continuing all day long;
     For they confounded are, and sham’d,
          that seek to do me wrong.

1    Give ear unto me when I call,

          God of my righteousness:

     Have mercy, hear my pray’r; thou hast

          enlarg’d me in distress.

2    O ye the sons of men! how long

          will ye love vanities?

     How long my glory turn to shame,

          and will ye follow lies?

3    But know, that for himself the Lord

          the godly man doth chuse:

     The Lord, when I on him do call,

          to hear will not refuse.

4    Fear, and sin not; talk with your heart

          on bed, and silent be.

5    Off ‘rings present of righteousness,

          and in the Lord trust ye.

6    O who will shew us any good?

          is that which many say:

     But of thy countenance the light,

          Lord, lift on us alway.

7    Upon my heart, bestow’d by thee,

          more gladness I have found

     Than they, ev’n then, when corn and wine

          did most with them abound.

8    I will both lay me down in peace,

          and quiet sleep will take;

     Because thou only me to dwell

          in safety, Lord, dost make.

1    All lands to God in joyful sounds,

          aloft your voices raise.

2    Sing forth the honour of his name,

          and glorious make his praise.

3    Say unto God, How terrible

          in all thy works art thou!

     Through thy great pow’r thy foes to thee

          shall be constrain’d to bow.

4    All on the earth shall worship thee,

          they shall thy praise proclaim

     In songs: they shall sing cheerfully

          unto thy holy name.

5    Come, and the works that God hath wrought

          with admiration see:

     In’s working to the sons of men

          most terrible is he.

6    Into dry land the sea he turn’d,

          and they a passage had;

     Ev’n marching through the flood on foot,

          there we in him were glad.

7    He ruleth ever by his pow’r;

          his eyes the nations see:

     O let not the rebellious ones

          lift up themselves on high.

8    Ye people, bless our God; aloud

          the voice speak of his praise:

9    Our soul in life who safe preserves,

          our foot from sliding stays.

10   For thou didst prove and try us, Lord,

          as men do silver try;

11   Brought’st us into the net, and mad’st

          bands on our loins to lie.

12   Thou hast caus’d men ride o’er our heads;

          and though that we did pass

     Through fire and water, yet thou brought’st

          us to a wealthy place.

13   I’ll bring burnt off ‘rings to thy house;

          to thee my vows I’ll pay,

14   Which my lips utter’d, my mouth spake,

          when trouble on me lay.

15   Burnt-sacrifices of fat rams

          with incense I will bring;

     Of bullocks and of goats I will

          present an offering.

16   All that fear God, come, hear, I’ll tell

          what he did for my soul.

17   I with my mouth unto him cry’d,

          my tongue did him extol.

18   If in my heart I sin regard,

          the Lord me will not hear:

19   But surely God me heard, and to

          my prayer’s voice gave ear.

20   O let the Lord, our gracious God,

          for ever blessed be,

     Who turned not my pray’r from him,

          nor yet his grace from me.

First Version (S.M.)

1    Lord, haste me to deliver;
          with speed, Lord, succour me.
2    Let them that for my soul do seek
          sham’d and confounded be:

     Turn’d back be they, and sham’d,
          that in my hurt delight.
3    Turn’d back be they, Ha, ha! that say,
          their shaming to requite.

4    In thee let all be glad,
          and joy that seek for thee:
     Let them who thy salvation love
          say still, God praised be.

5    I poor and needy am;
          come, Lord, and make no stay:
     My help thou and deliv’rer art;
          O Lord, make no delay.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    Make haste, O God, me to preserve;
          with speed, Lord, succour me.
2    Let them that for my soul do seek
          sham’d and confounded be:

     Let them be turned back, and sham’d,
          that in my hurt delight.
3    Turn’d back be they, Ha, ha! that say,
          their shaming to requite.

4    O Lord, in thee let all be glad,
          and joy that seek for thee:
     Let them who thy salvation love
          say still, God praised be.

5    But I both poor and needy am;
          come, Lord, and make no stay:
     My help thou and deliv’rer art;
          O Lord, make no delay.

TUNE: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

V 1    Why rage the heathen? and vain things 
        why do the people mind?
2    Kings of the earth do set themselves,
          and princes are combin’d,

V     To plot against the Lord, and his
          Anointed, saying thus,
3    Let us asunder break their bands,
          and cast their cords from us.

C 4    He that in heaven sits shall laugh;
          the Lord shall scorn them all.
5    Then shall he speak to them in wrath,
          in rage he vex them shall.

V 6    Yet, notwithstanding, I have him
          to be my King appointed;
     And over Sion, my holy hill,
          I have him King anointed.

V 7    The sure decree I will declare:
          The Lord hath said to me,
     Thou art mine only Son; this day
          I have begotten thee.

C 8    Ask of me, and for heritage
          the heathen I’ll make thine;
     And, for possession, I to thee
          will give earth’s utmost line.

V 9    Thou shalt, as with a weighty rod
          of iron, break them all;
     And, as a potter’s sherd, thou shalt
          them dash in pieces small.

V 10   Now therefore, kings, be wise; be taught,
          ye judges of the earth:
11   Serve God in fear, and see that ye
          join trembling with your mirth.

C 12   Kiss ye the Son, lest in his ire
          ye perish from the way,
     If once his wrath begin to burn:
          bless’d all that on him stay.

1    Let God arise, and scattered

          let all his en’mies be;

     And let all those that do him hate

          before his presence flee.

2    As smoke is driv’n, so drive thou them;

          as fire melts wax away,

     Before God’s face let wicked men

          so perish and decay.

3    But let the righteous be glad:

          let them before God’s sight

     Be very joyful; yea, let them

          rejoice with all their might.

4    To God sing, to his name sing praise;

          extol him with your voice,

     That rides on heav’n, by his name Jah,

          before his face rejoice.

5    Because the Lord a father is

          unto the fatherless;

     God is the widow’s judge, within

          his place of holiness.

6    God doth the solitary set

          in fam’lies: and from bands

     The chain’d doth free; but rebels do

          inhabit parched lands.

7    O God, what time thou didst go forth

          before thy people’s face;

     And when through the great wilderness

          thy glorious marching was;

8    Then at God’s presence shook the earth,

          then drops from heaven fell;

     This Sinai shook before the Lord,

          the God of Israel.

9    O God, thou to thine heritage

          didst send a plenteous rain,

     Whereby thou, when it weary was,

          didst it refresh again.

10   Thy congregation then did make

          their habitation there:

     Of thine own goodness for the poor,

          O God, thou didst prepare.

11   The Lord himself did give the word,

          the word abroad did spread;

     Great was the company of them

          the same who published.

12   Kings of great armies foiled were,

          and forc’d to flee away;

     And women, who remain’d at home,

          did distribute the prey.

13   Though ye have lien among the pots,

          like doves ye shall appear,

     Whose wings with silver, and with gold

          whose feathers cover’d are.

14   When there th’ Almighty scatter’d kings,

          like Salmon’s snow ’twas white.

15   God’s hill is like to Bashan hill,

          like Bashan hill for height.

16   Why do ye leap, ye mountains high?

          this is the hill where God

     Desires to dwell; yea, God in it

          for aye will make abode.

17   God’s chariots twenty thousand are,

          thousands of angels strong;

     In’s holy place God is, as in

          mount Sinai, them among.

18   Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious,

          ascended up on high;

     And in triumph victorious led

          captive captivity:

     Thou hast received gifts for men,

          for such as did rebel;

     Yea, ev’n for them, that God the Lord

          in midst of them might dwell.

19   Bless’d be the Lord, who is to us

          of our salvation God;

     Who daily with his benefits

          us plenteously doth load.

20   He of salvation is the God,

          who is our God most strong;

     And unto God the Lord from death

          the issues do belong.

21   But surely God shall wound the head

          of those that are his foes;

     The hairy scalp of him that still

          on in his trespass goes.

22   God said, My people I will bring

          again from Bashan hill;

     Yea, from the sea’s devouring depths

          them bring again I will;

23   That in the blood of enemies

          thy foot imbru’d may be,

     And of thy dogs dipp’d in the same

          the tongues thou mayest see.

24   Thy goings they have seen, O God;

          the steps of majesty

     Of my God, and my mighty King,

          within the sanctuary.

25   Before went singers, players next

          on instruments took way;

     And them among the damsels were

          that did on timbrels play.

26   Within the congregations

          bless God with one accord:

     From Isr’el’s fountain do ye bless

          and praise the mighty Lord.

27   With their prince, little Benjamin,

          princes and council there

     Of Judah were, there Zabulon’s

          and Napht’li’s princes were.

28   Thy God commands thy strength; make strong

          what thou wrought’st for us, Lord.

29   For thy house at Jerusalem

          kings shall thee gifts afford.

30   The spearmen’s host, the multitude

          of bulls, which fiercely look,

     Those calves which people have forth sent,

          O Lord our God, rebuke,

     Till ev’ry one submit himself,

          and silver pieces bring:

     The people that delight in war

          disperse, O God and King.

31   Those that be princes great shall then

          come out of Egypt lands;

     And Ethiopia to God

          shall soon stretch out her hands.

32   O all ye kingdoms of the earth,

          sing praises to this King;

     For he is Lord that ruleth all,

          unto him praises sing.

33   To him that rides on heav’ns of heav’ns,

          which he of old did found;

     Lo, he sends out his voice, a voice

          in might that doth abound.

34   Strength unto God do ye ascribe;

          for his excellency

     Is over Israel, his strength

          is in the clouds most high.

35   Thou’rt from thy temple dreadful, Lord;

          Isr’el’s own God is he,

     Who gives his people strength and pow’r:

          O let God blessed be.