Mine enemies urge on the fight,
And would my very life destroy:
Stretch out thine arm, O Thou most high,
And bring the needed succor nigh!
2 What time my num'rous foes I fear,
In Thee, O God! I'll put my trust;
To Thee I'll cry, for Thou art near,
And ever wilt Thou shield the just ;
Then will I praise thy faithful word,
And bless thy pow'r and grace, O Lord!
3 My soul, redeem'd from threaten'd death,
My feet, sav'd from the secret snare,—
I'll bless Thee, Lord, while I have breath,
And never in thy praise forbear:
Thee I extol, my God and shield!
To Thee my rescued life I yield!
SECOND VERSION.-C. M. Putney. Dedham.
1 IN God, most holy, just, and true,
I have repos'd my trust,
Nor will I fear what man can do,
The offspring of the dust.
2 When to thy throne I raise my cry,
The wicked fear and flee ;—
So swift is pray'r to reach the sky,
So near is God to me!
3 Thy solemn vows are on me, Lord,
Thou shalt receive my praise:
I'll sing, "How faithful is thy word?
How righteous all thy ways?"
4 Thou hast secur'd my soul from death,
O, set a pris'ner free!
That heart and hand, and life and breath
May be employ'd for Thee!
THIRD VERSION.-S. M. St. Thomas. Paddington.
Prayer in Temptation.
1 BE Thou, O God of might!
My refuge from the foe,
For lo, my foes urge on the fight,
And would my soul o'erthrow!
2 Stretch out, O Thou most High,
Thine arm of matchless power,
And bring the needed succor nigh,
And save me evermore!
3 My soul redeem'd from hell,
And fill'd with heav'nly joy,—
Thy wondrous grace my lips shall tell,
And songs my lips employ!
57. FIRST VERSION.-L. M. Walton. Winchester. Praise for God's Mercy.
aff 1 MY God, in whom are all the springs
Of boundless love and grace unknown,
Hide me beneath thy spreading wings,
Till the dark cloud be overblown.
2 Up to the heav'ns I send my cry,-
The Lord will my desires perform;
He sends his angels from the sky,
And saves me from the threat'ning storm.
3 Be Thou exalted, O my God,
Above the heav'ns, where angels dwell;
Thy pow'r on earth be known abroad,
And land to land thy wonders tell.
4 My heart is fix'd, my song shall raise
Immortal honors to his name:
Awake, my tongue, to sound his praise,
My tongue, the glory of my frame!
5 High o'er the earth his mercy reigns,
And reaches to the utmost sky;
His truth to endless years remains,
When lower worlds dissolve and die.
f 6 Be thou exalted, O my God,
Above the heav'ns, where angels dwell;
Thy pow'r on earth be known abroad,
And land to land thy wonders tell!
SECOND VERSION.-L. M. Windham. Duke Street.
Prayer for Protection and Mercy.
Aff 1 BE merciful in my distress,
O God of mercy and of love!
O, send me in thy righteousness
Deliverance from heav'n above.
2 To Thee I look, O God most high!
For thy rich grace, that never fails,
For strength, when tempting foe is nigh,
For rescue, when that foe prevails.
3 The peace, from firmest faith that springs,
That peace, O Lord, on me bestow;
Beneath the shadow of thy wings
May I the safest refuge know.
4 Thy mercy, Lord, exceeds all thought,
Thy truth extends above the sky;
Eternal praise to Thee be brought
From all below and all on high!
THIRD VERSION.-C. M. Ferry. Mear.
Prayer and Praise.
Aff 1 O GOD! be merciful to me :
My soul on Thee I cast;
Unto thy shad'wing wings I flee,
Till woes be overpast.
2 On Thee I'll call, O God most high,
Who dost all things perform;
And Thou wilt send down from the sky,
And save me from the storm.
f 3 Be Thou exalted on thy throne
Above the heav'ns, my God!
And let thy glory be made known
Through all the earth abroad!
4 To praise Thee will I early rise,
And join th' assembled crowds;
Thy mercy reacheth to the skies,
Thy truth unto the clouds!
f 5 Be Thou exalted on thy throne
Above the heav'ns, my God!
And let thy glory be made known
Through all the earth abroad!
58. FIRST VER.-C. M. Arlington. Woodstock.
Character and Doom of the Wicked.
1 HOW soon the wicked go astray,
And leave the path-way right?
How soon their malice they display,
Like serpent's pois'nous bite?
2 As the deaf adder stops her ear,
Nor heeds the charmer's skill,
They, Lord, refuse thy truth to hear,
Their ways pursuing still.
3 Thou, Lord! the lion's teeth wilt break,
And save the struggling prey:
To wicked men thy wrath shall speak,p> By whirlwind swept away!
4 Seeing the just reward and shame,—
The proud from greatness hurl'd,—
Exulting shall thy saints exclaim,
"God judges in the world!"
SECOND VERSION.-78. Norwich. Pleyel's Hymn.
mf 1 TYRANTS! do ye judge aright,
And for good exert your power?
No: but with the serpent's bite
Helpless men do ye devour!
2 As the adder stops her ear,
Nor regards the charmer's voice,
Ye refuse God's law to hear,
And in wickedness rejoice!
mf 8 Lord! the lion's teeth now break!
Rescue, Lord, the struggling prey!
To the wicked wrath shall speak,-
By the whirlwind swept away!
4 As they see the tyrants' shame,
Down from all their greatness hurl'd,
taf Joyful shall thy saints exclaim,-
"God doth judge through all the world!"
PSALM 59.-7s. Prentiss. Kimball.
Confidence in God.
1 1 AM hated, Lord! by those,
Who thy holy truth despise;
Save me from my bloody foes,
Lord of Hosts, arise, arise!
2 Thou'rt my rock and my defence;
Thou a tow'r unto thy saints;
Thee I make my confidence,
Thee I'll trust, though nature faints.
3 Glad thy mercies will I sing,
All thy pow'r and love confess;
Thou hast been, O heav'nly King,
My safe refuge in distress!
mf 4 Songs with every morning's light,
Lord, shall rise up to thy throne;
All thy saints shall praise thy might,
And thy mercy shall make known!
60. FIRST VERSION.-L. M. Oxford. Farnsworth. Gods mercy: the Gospel triumphant.
1 ALTHOUGH thy people oft have seen
Mysterious workings of thy power,
Yet Thou, O Lord! didst mercy mean,
And cheer them in their darkest hour.
2 Before thy saints Thou hast arrayed
A glorious banner, spread on high,
Which Gentile tribes shall see displayed,
Waving triumphant in the sky!
f 3 The gospel shall glad vict'ry gain,
All idols from their seats be hurl'd,
And Jesus as a conqu'ror reign
O'er all the subjugated world!
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