Hear, O my people, to my law, Your most devout Attention lend

Verse 1

Hear, O my people, to my law Your most devout attention lend; Let the instructions of my mouth, Deep in your faithful hearts descend, My tongue shall parables unfold, And bring to light dark things of old.

Verse 2

Which our fore-fathers pious care, From ancient times has handed down; Nor will we hide them from our sons, But to our offspring make them known, That they the praises may be taught Of God, who hath such wonders wrought.

Verse 3

For Jacob he this law ordain'd, This solemn league with Isr'el made, With charge to be from age to age, From race to race with care convey'd; To be transmitted to their heirs, Which they again might give to their's.

Verse 4

That they might God's commands obey, And in his strength their safety place; And not like their forefathers, prove A stubborn and rebellious race, Who still the paths of error trod, Nor put their stedfast hope in God.

Verse 5

Such were revolting Ephraim's sons, Who from the field ingnobly fled; Tho' skilful archers arm'd with bows, And to a constant warfare bred; Tho' God to them his works display'd, Yet they his orders disobey'd.

Verse 6

The wonders which their fathers saw, They in their minds did not retain; Prodigious things in Egypt done, And miracles in Zoan's plain: For them he did the sea divide, And pil'd in heaps the pressing tide.

Verse 7

A wond'rous pillar led them on, Compos'd of shade and radiant Light; A shelt'ring cloud it prov'd by day, And was a leading fire by night. Thus went they thro' a desert land, Conducted by his powerful hand.

Verse 8

When drought oppress'd them, where no streams The parched wilderness supply'd, He cleft the rock, whose flinty breast Dissolv'd into a cooling tide, Which down in plenteous rivers fell, And prov'd a constant miracle.

Verse 9

Yet there they sin'd against him more, Provoking still the Lord most high, In that same desert, where he did Their fainting souls with strength supply; His pow'r supreme, they did distrust And long'd for meat to feed their lust.

Verse 10

Then utter'd their blaspheming doubts, "Can God, say they, for us prepare "A table in the wilderness, "And set it out with various fare? "'Tis true he did the rock divide, "But can he corn and flesh provide?"

Verse 11

The Lord with indignation heard, And from the heav'ns avenging flame On Jacob fell; consuming wrath On most ungrateful Isr'el came: For they would not in God confide, Who had so oft their wants supply'd.

Verse 12

Tho' God had from the fruitful clouds, Around their camp his manna spread, And had the angels sacred food, Ungrateful man in plenty fed; Which from his own celestial stores, Was rained down in frequent show'rs.

Verse 13

From heav'n he made an east wind blow, And likewise did the south command To rain down flesh, like dust, and fowls Like the sea shore's unnumber'd sands, Around their tents an easy prey, The flutt'ring, feather'd booty lay.

Verse 14

Thus gave he them their heart's desire, And they luxurious eat the same; But whilst the meat was in their mouths, God's heavy wrath upon them came; He slew the wealthiest of them all, And Israel's chiefs were made to fall.

Verse 15

Yet still they sin'd, nor would afford His wond'rous miracles belief; Therefore thro' fruitless travels he Consum'd their lives in wasting grief; When some were slain, with early cry, They turn'd and sought the Lord most high.

Verse 16

But this was feign'd submission all, Their treach'rous hearts their tongues bely'd, They still remain'd perverse, nor would Firm in his covenant abide; And yet his anger did not rise, Nor would with death their sins chastise.

Verse 17

For he remember'd they were flesh, And could not long on earth remain; A murm'ring wind that's quickly past, And never more return's again; His mercy knew they were but frail, And would not let his wrath prevail.

Verse 18

How oft did they provoke him there! How oft did they his patience grieve! In that same desert, where he did Their fainting souls with food relieve, They turned back, and faithless prov'd, And Isreal's God to anger move'd.

Verse 19

Nor did they call to mind the day When God, with his almighty hand, Deliver'd them from all their foes, And show'd them signs in Egypt's land, When he the tribes from bondage brought, And wond'rous things in Zoan wrought.

Verse 20

Their Rrivers, that they might not drink, Were turn'd to blood at his command; Devouring flies in thickest swarms; And frogs were sent to plague the land; Locust and worms o'erspread their soil, And reap'd the harvest of their toil.

Verse 21

Their vines with batt'ring hail were broke, With pinching frost the fig-tree dies; Lightning and hail made flocks and herds, To fall one gen'ral sacrifice. His wrath their trouble to increase, By evil angels broke their peace.

Verse 22

He clear'd a passage for his wrath, Nor would his anger fierce controul; But gave their life to pestilence, Nor spar'd from death the fainting soul. Upon their heirs destruction came, The first born in the tents of Ham.

Verse 23

But his own tribe, like folded sheep, He brought in safety from distress, And like a flock, conducted them Thro' a long barren wilderness. Their foes were in the ocean drown'd, But they no cause of terror found.

Verse 24

Nor ceas's his care, 'till them he brought In safety to the promis'd Land; And to his holy mount, the prize Obtain'd, by his victorious hand; For them he did his arm extend. And from the foe their host's defend.

Verse 25

To them, the outcast heathen's land, He did in equal lot divide; And in their foes abandon'd tents, Made Israel's tribes secure abide: For them he quell'd the nations round, And plac'd them on the promis'd ground.

Verse 26

But still they tempted, still provok'd The anger of the Lord most high; Nor would, to practise his commands Their most rebellious hearts apply: But turn'd like a deceitful bow, And in their father's steps would go.

Verse 27

For God to fury they provok'd With idol altars set on high, And with their graven images, Inflam'd to wrath his jealousy; On Israel then his hatred fell, And Shiloh, where he lov'd to dwell.

Verse 28

To vile captivity, his ark, His strength and glory to disdain, His people to the sword he gave, Nor would his awful wrath restrain: Amongst their youth his anger spread, Nor were their maids to marriage led.

Verse 29

In fight the sacrificer fell, The priest himself a victim bled; No were there any widows left, Who should with tears lament the dead. Then like a giant strong with wine, The Lord awak'd in wrath divine.

Verse 30

He smote his foes, that from the field Their vanquish'd, scatter'd remnants came, With wounds imprinted on their backs, The marks of everlasting shame: The tents of Joseph he forsook Nor Ephraim for his dwelling took.

Verse 31

But Judah's favour'd tribe he chose, And made his own peculiar care; On Sion's mount his temple built, And fix'd its strong foundations there. From sheep-folds he did David bring, And over Judah made him king.

Verse 32

From tending on the teeming ewes, He brought his servant forth to feed His people, and inheritance, The Tribes of Isr'el's chosen seed: And he a faithful shepherd still, Fed and conducted them with skill.