Tag: Songs of Christ

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.

1    That man hath perfect blessedness,
          who walketh not astray
     In counsel of ungodly men,
          nor stands in sinners’ way,

     Nor sitteth in the scorner’s chair:
2          But placeth his delight
     Upon God’s law, and meditates
          on his law day and night.

3    He shall be like a tree that grows
          near planted by a river,
     Which in his season yields his fruit,
          and his leaf fadeth never:

     And all he doth shall prosper well
4        The wicked are not so;
     But like they are unto the chaff,
          which wind drives to and fro.

5    In judgment therefore shall not stand
          such as ungodly are;
     Nor in th’ assembly of the just
          shall wicked men appear.

6    For why? the way of godly men
          unto the Lord is known:
     Whereas the way of wicked men
          shall quite be overthrown.

First Version (S.M.)

1    Lord, bless and pity us,

          shine on us with thy face:

2    That th’ earth thy way, and nations all

          may know thy saving grace.

3    Let people praise thee, Lord;

          let people all thee praise.

4    O let the nations be glad,

          in songs their voices raise:

     Thou’lt justly people judge,

          on earth rule nations all.

5    Let people praise thee, Lord; let them

          praise thee, both great and small.

6    The earth her fruit shall yield,

          our God shall blessing send.

7    God shall us bless; men shall him fear

          unto earth’s utmost end.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    Lord, unto us be merciful,

          do thou us also bless;

     And graciously cause shine on us

          the brightness of thy face:

2    That so thy way upon the earth

          to all men may be known;

     Also among the nations all

          thy saving health be shown.

3    O let the people praise thee, Lord;

          let people all thee praise.

4    O let the nations be glad,

          and sing for joy always:

     For rightly thou shalt people judge,

          and nations rule on earth.

5    Let people praise thee, Lord; let all

          the folk praise thee with mirth.

6    Then shall the earth yield her increase;

          God, our God, bless us shall.

7    God shall us bless; and of the earth

          the ends shall fear him all.

1    Praise waits for thee in Sion, Lord:

          to thee vows paid shall be.

2    O thou that hearer art of pray’r,

          all flesh shall come to thee.

3    Iniquities, I must confess,

          prevail against me do:

     But as for our transgressions,

          them purge away shalt thou.

4    Bless’d is the man whom thou dost chuse,

          and mak’st approach to thee,

     That he within thy courts, O Lord,

          may still a dweller be:

     We surely shall be satisfy’d

          with thy abundant grace,

     And with the goodness of thy house,

          ev’n of thy holy place.

5    O God of our salvation,

          thou, in thy righteousness,

     By fearful works unto our pray’rs

          thine answer dost express:

     Therefore the ends of all the earth,

          and those afar that be

     Upon the sea, their confidence,

          O Lord, will place in thee.

6    Who, being girt with pow’r, sets fast

          by his great strength the hills.

7    Who noise of seas, noise of their waves,

          and people’s tumult, stills.

8    Those in the utmost parts that dwell

          are at thy signs afraid:

     Th’ outgoings of the morn and ev’n

          by thee are joyful made.

9    The earth thou visit’st, wat’ring it;

          thou mak’st it rich to grow

     With God’s full flood; thou corn prepar’st,

          when thou provid’st it so.

10   Her rigs thou wat’rest plenteously,

          her furrows settelest:

     With show’rs thou dost her mollify,

          her spring by thee is blest.

11   So thou the year most lib’rally

          dost with thy goodness crown;

     And all thy paths abundantly

          on us drop fatness down.

12   They drop upon the pastures wide,

          that do in deserts lie;

     The little hills on ev’ry side

          rejoice right pleasantly.

13   With flocks the pastures clothed be,

          the vales with corn are clad;

     And now they shout and sing to thee,

          for thou hast made them glad.

1    When I to thee my prayer make,

          Lord, to my voice give ear;

     My life save from the enemy,

          of whom I stand in fear.

2    Me from their secret counsel hide

          who do live wickedly;

     From insurrection of those men

          that work iniquity:

3    Who do their tongues with malice whet,

          and make them cut like swords;

     In whose bent bows are arrows set,

          ev’n sharp and bitter words:

4    That they may at the perfect man

          in secret aim their shot;

     Yea, suddenly they dare at him

          to shoot, and fear it not.

5    In ill encourage they themselves,

          and their snares close do lay:

     Together conference they have;

          Who shall them see? they say.

6    They have search’d out iniquities,

          a perfect search they keep:

     Of each of them the inward thought,

          and very heart, is deep.

7    God shall an arrow shoot at them,

          and wound them suddenly:

8    So their own tongue shall them confound;

          all who them see shall fly.

9    And on all men a fear shall fall,

          God’s works they shall declare;

     For they shall wisely notice take

          what these his doings are.

10   In God the righteous shall rejoice,

          and trust upon his might;

     Yea, they shall greatly glory all

          in heart that are upright.

1    O God, why hast thou cast us off?

          is it for evermore?

     Against thy pasture-sheep why doth

          thine anger smoke so sore?

2    O call to thy rememberance

          thy congregation,

     Which thou hast purchased of old;

          still think the same upon:

     The rod of thine inheritance,

          which thou redeemed hast,

     This Sion hill, wherein thou hadst

          thy dwelling in times past.

3    To these long desolations

          thy feet lift, do not tarry;

     For all the ills thy foes have done

          within thy sanctuary.

4    Amidst thy congregations

          thine enemies do roar:

     Their ensigns they set up for signs

          of triumph thee before.

5    A man was famous, and was had

          in estimation,

     According as he lifted up

          his axe thick trees upon.

6    But all at once with axes now

          and hammers they go to,

     And down the carved work thereof

          they break, and quite undo.

7    They fired have thy sanctuary,

          and have defil’d the same,

     By casting down unto the ground

          the place where dwelt thy name.

8    Thus said they in their hearts, Let us

          destroy them out of hand:

     They burnt up all the synagogues

          of God within the land.

9    Our signs we do not now behold;

          there is not us among

     A prophet more, nor any one

          that knows the time how long.

10   How long, Lord, shall the enemy

          thus in reproach exclaim?

     And shall the adversary thus

          always blaspheme thy name?

11   Thy hand, ev’n thy right hand of might,

          why dost thou thus draw back?

     O from thy bosom pluck it out

          for our deliv’rance sake.

12   For certainly God is my King,

          ev’n from the times of old,

     Working in midst of all the earth

          salvation manifold.

13   The sea, by thy great pow’r, to part

          asunder thou didst make;

     And thou the dragons’ heads, O Lord,

          within the waters brake.

14   The leviathan’s head thou brak’st

          in pieces, and didst give

     Him to be meat unto the folk

          in wilderness that live.

15   Thou clav’st the fountain and the flood,

          which did with streams abound:

     Thou dry’dst the mighty waters up

          unto the very ground.

16   Thine only is the day, O Lord,

          thine also is the night;

     And thou alone prepared hast

          the sun and shining light.

17   By thee the borders of the earth

          were settled ev’ry where:

     The summer and the winter both

          by thee created were.

18   That th’ enemy reproached hath,

          O keep it in record;

     And that the foolish people have

          blasphem’d thy name, O Lord.

19   Unto the multitude do not

          thy turtle’s soul deliver:

     The congregation of thy poor

          do not forget for ever.

20   Unto thy cov’nant have respect;

          for earth’s dark places be

     Full of the habitations

          of horrid cruelty.

21   O let not those that be oppress’d

          return again with shame:

     Let those that poor and needy are

          give praise unto thy name.

22   Do thou, O God, arise and plead

          the cause that is thine own:

     Remember how thou art reproach’d

          still by the foolish one.

23   Do not forget the voice of those

          that are thine enemies:

     Of those the tumult ever grows

          that do against thee rise.

1    To thee, O God, do we give thanks,

          we do give thanks to thee;

     Because thy wondrous works declare

          thy great name near to be.

2    I purpose, when I shall receive

          the congregation,

     That I shall judgment uprightly

          render to ev’ry one.

3    Dissolved is the land, with all

          that in the same do dwell;

     But I the pillars thereof do

          bear up, and stablish well.

4    I to the foolish people said,

          Do not deal foolishly;

     And unto those that wicked are,

          Lift not your horn on high.

5    Lift not your horn on high, nor speak

6          with stubborn neck. But know,

     That not from east, nor west, nor south,

          promotion doth flow.

7    But God is judge; he puts down one,

          and sets another up.

8    For in the hand of God most high

          of red wine is a cup:

    ‘Tis full of mixture, he pours forth,

          and makes the wicked all

     Wring out the bitter dregs thereof;

          yea, and they drink them shall.

9    But I for ever will declare,

          I Jacob’s God will praise.

10   All horns of lewd men I’ll cut off;

          but just men’s horns will raise.

1    In thy great indignation,

          O Lord, rebuke me not;

     Nor on me lay thy chast’ning hand,

          in thy displeasure hot.

2    For in me fast thine arrows stick,

          thine hand doth press me sore:

3    And in my flesh there is no health,

          nor soundness any more.

     This grief I have, because thy wrath

          is forth against me gone;

     And in my bones there is no rest,

          for sin that I have done.

4    Because gone up above mine head

          my great transgressions be;

     And, as a weighty burden, they

          too heavy are for me.

5    My wounds do stink, and are corrupt;

          my folly makes it so.

6    I troubled am, and much bow’d down;

          all day I mourning go.

7    For a disease that loathsome is

          so fills my loins with pain,

     That in my weak and weary flesh

          no soundness doth remain.

8    So feeble and infirm am I,

          and broken am so sore,

     That, through disquiet of my heart,

          I have been made to roar.

9    O Lord, all that I do desire

          is still before thine eye;

     And of my heart the secret groans

          not hidden are from thee.

10   My heart doth pant incessantly,

          my strength doth quite decay;

     As for mine eyes, their wonted light

          is from me gone away.

11   My lovers and my friends do stand

          at distance from my sore;

     And those do stand aloof that were

          kinsmen and kind before.

12   Yea, they that seek my life lay snares:

          who seek to do me wrong

     Speak things mischievous, and deceits

          imagine all day long.

13   But, as one deaf, that heareth not,

          I suffer’d all to pass;

     I as a dumb man did become,

          whose mouth not open’d was:

14   As one that hears not, in whose mouth

          are no reproofs at all.

15   For, Lord, I hope in thee; my God,

          thou’lt hear me when I call.

16   For I said, Hear me, lest they should

          rejoice o’er me with pride;

     And o’er me magnify themselves,

          when as my foot doth slide.

17   For I am near to halt, my grief

          is still before mine eye:

18   For I’ll declare my sin, and grieve

          for mine iniquity.

19   But yet mine en’mies lively are,

          and strong are they beside;

     And they that hate me wrongfully

          are greatly multiply’d.

20   And they for good that render ill,

          as en’mies me withstood;

     Yea, ev’n for this, because that I

          do follow what is good.

21   Forsake me not, O Lord; my God,

          far from me never be.

22   O Lord, thou my salvation art,

          haste to give help to me.

1    For evil-doers fret thou not

          thyself unquietly;

     Nor do thou envy bear to those

          that work iniquity.

2    For, even like unto the grass,

          soon be cut down shall they;

     And, like the green and tender herb,

          they wither shall away.

3    Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,

          and be thou doing good;

     And so thou in the land shalt dwell,

          and verily have food.

4    Delight thyself in God; he’ll give

          thine heart’s desire to thee.

5    Thy way to God commit, him trust,

          it bring to pass shall he.

6    And, like unto the light, he shall

          thy righteousness display;

     And he thy judgment shall bring forth

          like noon-tide of the day.

7    Rest in the Lord, and patiently

          wait for him: do not fret

     For him who, prosp’ring in his way,

          success in sin doth get.

8    Do thou from anger cease, and wrath

          see thou forsake also:

     Fret not thyself in any wise,

          that evil thou should’st do.

9    For those that evil doers are

          shall be cut off and fall:

     But those that wait upon the Lord

          the earth inherit shall.

10   For yet a little while, and then

          the wicked shall not be;

     His place thou shalt consider well,

          but it thou shalt not see.

11   But by inheritance the earth

          the meek ones shall possess:

     They also shall delight themselves

          in an abundant peace.

12   The wicked plots against the just,

          and at him whets his teeth:

13   The Lord shall laugh at him, because

          his day he coming seeth.

14   The wicked have drawn out the sword,

          and bent their bow, to slay

     The poor and needy, and to kill

          men of an upright way.

15   But their own sword, which they have drawn,

          shall enter their own heart:

     Their bows which they have bent shall break,

          and into pieces part.

16   A little that a just man hath

          is more and better far

     Than is the wealth of many such

          as lewd and wicked are.

17   For sinners’ arms shall broken be;

          but God the just sustains.

18   God knows the just man’s days, and still

          their heritage remains.

19   They shall not be asham’d when they

          the evil time do see;

     And when the days of famine are,

          they satisfy’d shall be.

20   But wicked men, and foes of God,

          as fat of lambs, decay;

     They shall consume, yea, into smoke

          they shall consume away.

21   The wicked borrows, but the same

          again he doth not pay;

     Whereas the righteous mercy shews,

          and gives his own away.

22   For such as blessed be of him

          the earth inherit shall;

     And they that cursed are of him

          shall be destroyed all.

23   A good man’s footsteps by the Lord

          are ordered aright;

     And in the way wherein he walks

          he greatly doth delight.

24   Although he fall, yet shall he not

          be cast down utterly;

     Because the Lord with his own hand

          upholds him mightily.

25   I have been young, and now am old,

          yet have I never seen

     The just man left, nor that his seed

          for bread have beggars been.

26   He’s ever merciful, and lends:

          his seed is bless’d therefore.

27   Depart from evil, and do good,

          and dwell for evermore.

28   For God loves judgment, and his saints

          leaves not in any case;

     They are kept ever: but cut off

          shall be the sinner’s race.

29   The just inherit shall the land,

          and ever in it dwell:

30   The just man’s mouth doth wisdom speak;

          his tongue doth judgment tell.

31   In’s heart the law is of his God,

          his steps slide not away.

32   The wicked man doth watch the just,

          and seeketh him to slay.

33   Yet him the Lord will not forsake,

          nor leave him in his hands:

     The righteous will he not condemn,

          when he in judgment stands.

34   Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,

          and thee exalt shall he

     Th’ earth to inherit; when cut off

          the wicked thou shalt see.

35   I saw the wicked great in pow’r,

          spread like a green bay-tree:

36   He pass’d, yea, was not; him I sought,

          but found he could not be.

37   Mark thou the perfect, and behold

          the man of uprightness;

     Because that surely of this man

          the latter end is peace.

38   But those men that transgressors are

          shall be destroy’d together;

     The latter end of wicked men

          shall be cut off for ever.

39   But the salvation of the just

          is from the Lord above;

     He in the time of their distress

          their stay and strength doth prove.

40   The Lord shall help, and them deliver:

          he shall them free and save

     From wicked men; because in him

          their confidence they have.