God's mercies I will ever sing

Verse 1

God's mercies I will ever sing; and with my mouth I shall Thy faithfulness make to be known to generations all.

Verse 2

For mercy shall be built, said I, for ever to endure; Thy faithfulness, ev'n in the heav'ns, thou wilt establish sure.

Verse 3

I with my chosen One have made a cov'nant graciously; And to my servant, whom I loved, to David sworn have I;

Verse 4

That I thy seed establish shall for ever to remain, And will to generations all thy throne build and maintain.

Verse 5

The praises of thy wonders, Lord, the heavens shall express; And in the congregätion of saints thy faithfulness.

Verse 6

For who in heaven with the Lord may once himself compare? Who is like God among the sons of those that mighty are?

Verse 7

Great fear in meeting of the saints is due unto the Lord; And he of all about him should with rev'rence be adored.

Verse 8

O thou that art the Lord of hosts, what Lord in mightiness Is like to thee? who compassed round art with thy faithfulness.

Verse 9

Ev'n in the raging of the sea thou over it dost reign; And when the waves thereof do swell, thou stillest them again.

Verse 10

Rahab in pieces thou didst break, like one that slaughtered is; And with thy mighty arm thou hast dispersed thine enemies.

Verse 11

The heav'ns are thine, thou for thine own the earth dost also take; The world, and fullness of the same, thy pow'r did found and make.

Verse 12

The north and south from thee alone their first beginning had; Both Tabor mount and Hermon hill shall in thy name be glad.

Verse 13

Thou hast an arm that's full of pow'r, thy hand is great in might; And thy right hand exceedingly exalted is in height.

Verse 14

Justice and judgment of thy throne are made the dwelling-place; Mercy, accompanied with truth, shall go before thy face.

Verse 15

O greatly blessed the people are the joyful sound that know; In brightness of thy face, O Lord, they ever on shall go.

Verse 16

They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly; And in thy righteousness shall they exalted be on high.

Verse 17

Because the glory of their strength doth only stand in thee; And in thy favor shall our horn and pow'r exalted be.

Verse 18

For God is our defense; and he to us doth safety bring: The Holy One of Israel is our almighty King.

Verse 19

In vision to thy Holy One thou saidst, I help upon A strong one laid; out of the folk I raised a chosen one;

Verse 20

Ev'n David, I have found him out a servant unto me; And with my holy oil my King anointed him to be.

Verse 21

With whom my hand shall stablished be; mine arm shall make him strong.

Verse 22

On him the foe shall not exact, nor son of mischief wrong.

Verse 23

I will beat down before his face all his malicious foes; I will them greatly plague who do with hatred him oppose.

Verse 24

My mercy and my faithfulness with him yet still shall be; And in my name his horn and pow'r men shall exalted see.

Verse 25

His hand and pow'r shall reach afar; I'll set it in the sea; And his right hand establishèd shall in the rivers be.

Verse 26

Thou art my Father, he shall cry, thou art my God alone; And he shall say, Thou art the Rock of my salvätion.

Verse 27

I'll make him my first-born, more high than kings of any land.

Verse 28

My love I'll ever keep for him, my cov'nant fast shall stand.

Verse 29

His seed I by my pow'r will make for ever to endure; And, as the days of heav'n, his throne shall stable be, and sure.

Verse 30

But if his children shall forsake my laws, and go astray, And in my judgments shall not walk, but wander from my way:

Verse 31

If they my laws break, and do not keep my commandements;

Verse 32

I'll visit then their faults with rods, their sins with chastisements.

Verse 33

Yet I'll not take my love from him, nor false my promise make.

Verse 34

My cov'nant I'll not break, nor change what with my mouth I spake.

Verse 35

Once by my holiness I sware, to David I'll not lie;

Verse 36

His seed and throne shall, as the sun, before me last for aye.

Verse 37

It, like the moon, shall ever be established steadfastly; And like to that which in the heav'n doth witness faithfully.

Verse 38

But thou, displeasèd, hast cast off, thou didst abhor and loathe; With him that thine anointed is thou hast been very wroth.

Verse 39

Thou hast thy servant's covenant made void, and quite cast by; Thou hast profaned his crown, while it cast on the ground doth lie.

Verse 40

Thou all his hedges hast broke down, his strong holds down hast torn.

Verse 41

He to all passers-by a spoil, to neighbors is a scorn.

Verse 42

Thou hast set up his foes' right hand; mad'st all his en'mies glad:

Verse 43

Turned his sword's edge, and him to stand in battle hast not made.

Verse 44

His glory thou hast made to cease, his throne to ground down cast;

Verse 45

Shortened his days of youth, and him with shame thou covered hast.

Verse 46

How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thyself? for ever, in thine ire? And shall thine indignätion burn like unto a fire?

Verse 47

Remember, Lord, how short a time I shall on earth remain: O wherefore is it so that thou hast made all men in vain?

Verse 48

What man is he that liveth here, and death shall never see? Or from the power of the grave what man his soul shall free?

Verse 49

Thy former loving-kindnesses, O Lord, where be they now? Those which in truth and faithfulness to David sworn hast thou?

Verse 50

Mind, Lord, thy servant's sad reproach; how I in bosom bear The scornings of the people all, who strong and mighty are.

Verse 51

Wherewith thy raging enemies reproached, O Lord, think on; Wherewith they have reproached the steps of thine anointed one.

Verse 52

All blessing to the Lord our God let be ascribèd then: For evermore so let it be. Amen, yea, and amen.