Now Israel May Say

Verse 1

Now Israel may say, and that truly, If that the Lord had not our cause maintained;

Verse 2

If that the Lord had not our right sustained, When cruel men who us desired to slay Rose up in wrath, to make of us their prey;

Verse 3

Then certainly they had devoured us all, And swallowed quick, for ought that we could deem; Such was their rage, as we might well esteem.

Verse 4

And as fierce floods before them all things drown, So had they brought our soul to death quite down.

Verse 5

The raging streams, with their proud swelling waves, Had then our soul o'erwhelmed in the deep.

Verse 6

But blessed be God, who doth us safely keep, And gave us not a living prey to be Unto their teeth and bloody cruelty.

Verse 7

Even as a bird out of the fowler's snare Escapes away, so is our soul set free: Rent is their net, and thus escaped we.

Verse 8

Therefore our help is in the Lord's great name, Who heaven and earth by his great pow'r did frame.