O Lord, our ears have often heard

Verse 1

O Lord, our ears have often heard, Our fathers have us told Thy mighty works, wrought in their days, And in the times of old.

Verse 2

How thou didst punish, and eject, With thine avenging hand, The heathen nations; and didst place Thy people in their land.

Verse 3

For they, possession of the land, Gained not, by their own sword, Neither could their own arm them save; But thy right hand, O Lord, Thine arm and presence, with their hosts, And thy peculiar grace.

Verse 4

Thou art my King; O God, command Safety for Jacob's race.

Verse 5

Then, in thy strength, we'll still go on, To push down all our foes; And, through thy name, tread underfoot, Such as shall us oppose.

Verse 6

For I'll not trust my bow nor sword The victory to gain;

Verse 7

But thou hast saved us from our foes, And made their hopes in vain.

Verse 8

Therefore, in thee, we make our boast, And glory all day long; Forever will we praise thy name, In our triumphant song.

Verse 9

But, now, thou hast rejected us, With shame, hast cast us down; Our armies thou no more dost lead, Nor us with victory crown.

Verse 10

Therefore, before our enemies Which spoil us, we have fled.

Verse 11

Thou, some, hast given, as sheep for meat, And others captive led.

Verse 12

Thy people thou hast sold for naught; Nor art the richer found;

Verse 13

We're to our neighbors a reproach; A scorn to all around.

Verse 14

Thou us among the heathen hast A taunting proverb, made; By foolish people we're condemned, They at us shake the head.

Verse 15

Therefore, from morn to night, our eyes See nothing but disgrace; And, covered with confounding shame, I'm forced to hide my face

Verse 16

Because I daily hear the voice Of our insulting foe, Who us reproach, and thee blaspheme, And all their malice show.

Verse 17

Yet, we have not forgotten thee; Nor false in covenant proved

Verse 18

Our heart's not turned back, nor steps, From thy just ways, removed.

Verse 19

Though thou hast sorely broken us, Where cruel dragons roar; And with the ghastly shades of death, Thy people covered o'er.

Verse 20

Had we, our God's great name forgot, Or to strange gods bowed down,

Verse 21

Would'st thou not this have searched out? To thee all hearts are known.

Verse 22

Yea, we're as sheep for slaughter marked; For thy sake, killed all day.

Verse 23

Awake, why sleep'st thou, Lord, arise; And cast us not away.

Verse 24

O wherefore dost thou hide thy face, Unmindful of our thrall?

Verse 25

Our soul is bowed to dust, on Earth Our bodies prostrate fall.

Verse 26

Arise, and for our help appear, The heathen powers shake; Redeem us from our enemy's hand, For thy great mercy's sake.