O Sov'reign Lord, whom my support I prove

Verse 1

O Sov'reign Lord, whom my support I prove, Be thou the constant object of my love.

Verse 2

My rock of safety thou, my strong defence, The God, the guardian of my innocence, My hope, my solace, in my sore distress, My shield, my buckler, when my foes oppress.

Verse 3

Thee I'll invoke; for worthy thou of praise, Thou in her griefs my drooping soul didst raise;

Verse 4

Hemm'd in with dangers, in distress I lay, Death with his direful snares beset my way; Down to the dreary shades, the fields below, Caught in his fatal toils, I fear'd to go;

Verse 5

When to my God in confidence I pray'd, Preferr'd my sad complaint, implor'd his aid.

Verse 6

Nor were my sad complaints in vain preferr'd; Soon on his awful throne my voice he heard; Lo! trembles earth at the vindictive God; Th' affrighted hills from their foundations nod;

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From his dread nostrils clouds of smoke arise; From out his mouth a fire cosduming flies;

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He bows the Heav'ns; he leaves his awful seat; He comes; thick misty vapours cloath his feet:

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"On flaming Cherubs royally he rode; "On wings of winds came flying all abroad;"

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Tremendous darkness his dread presence shrouds; Surround him waters, and involve him clouds:

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From his bright eyes burst forth a radiant light, That drives the darkness, and dispels the night; Then falls of rattling hail a dreadful show'r, And flakes of fire their glaring volumes pour.

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But when the Lord his awful silence broke; High heav'n with all it's deep artillery shook; Earth was astonish'd at the pouring flood, And with his rapid lightnings aether glow'd.

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Thro' the vast void his flaming arrows fly, And flash on flash redoubles, to destroy:

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The gaping Earth her secret sources shews, Whence springs the fountain, when the riv'let flows; And, so great terror at his wrath me feels, Trembling, her own foundations me reveals.

Verse 15

He from above reach'd forth his aiding hand; Me, sinking in the waters, he sustain'd;

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Repuls'd the madness of my mighty foes, Their wiles eluded, and dispers'd my woes;

Verse 17

And, when with all their malice they assail'd Vain were their schemes--I in my God prevail'd.

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Me did he reinstate in liberty, And, 'cause he lov'd his servant, set him free.

Verse 19

For well my honest humble heart he knew, And deem'd the favours he bestcow'd, my due:

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That in his righteous ways I constant trod, Nor with the wicked wou'd forsake my God;

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His statutes long with reverence obey'd, And never from his dread behests had stray'd;

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Had kept my soul from fraud, from falsnood free, Had loath'd the paths of guilt, of infamy:

Verse 23

Therefore my life with justice he regards, And with a bounteous hand my truth rewards; Therefore his favour and his love he shew'd, And blessings nameless, numberless, bestow'd.

Verse 24

For who with thee conforms in heart and mind, Thee with the holy shall they holy find, That to the perfect thou wilt perfect be,

Verse 25

And the just man shall justice have from thee: But that the froward souls, who wilful deal In wily schemes, shall thy resentment feel.

Verse 26

For, when in misery the humble grieve, Thy pow'rful hand is ready to relieve, And, when with haughty scorn the wicked glow, Thou'lt check their high disdain, and bring them low

Verse 27

Me in adversity thou'st oft sustain'd, My lamp hast lighted, when the darkness reign'd.

Verse 28

My leader thou, tho' armed hosts assail, I'll break thro' all, and in thy pow'r prevail: Sure of Success, on their full ranks I'll fall, And scale the highest turret of the wall.

Verse 29

For, when the righteous, in thy cause unite, Thy word is promis'd to defend the right; Thy word, far purer than the purest gold, Close, as a buckler, to my breast I'll hold; With firmest hope I'll on thy word rely, Spring on the foe, and snatch the victory:

Verse 30

For who is Lord, or who is God, but thee? Who else has pow'r, has might, has majesty?

Verse 31

Thou giv'st me strength against the foe, O God; To heav'nly wisdom pointest out the road;

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Thou giv'st me, swifter than the hart to fly, And far from danger placest me on high:

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Instruct'st my hand, the use of arms to know, To dart the jav'lin, and to wield the bow.

Verse 34

My rock of safety thou, my pow'rful might; Thy strong right-hand protects me in the fight;

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Thou clear'st my road thro' the impervious way; My tott'ring Feet, where snares entrap, dost stay;

Verse 36

Dost to my soul true fortitude impart; Soon feel my fainting foes the deadly dart;

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Soon at my feet my mercy they implore, Sink with their wounds, and fall, to rise no more.

Verse 38

Thro' all my limbs new strength dost thou infuse; My ardent soul the gen'rous chace pursues;

Verse 39

I'm all on fire; my foes I soon destroy; Dismay'd, dejected, from my arms they fly;

Verse 40

They call for succour, but no succour's near; To thee they call, hut thou disdain'st to hear;

Verse 41

Swift, I pursue, and follow close behind; Swift they disperse, like dust before the wind; And, like the filthy rubbish of the street, I spurn their bodies with triumphant feet.

Verse 42

Thus from their hostile rage thou set'st me free, And crown'st me with imperial dignity; E'en o'er the heathen giv'st unbounded sway, And bidst the distant realms my rule obey;

Verse 43

The distant realms submissive own my right,

Verse 44

Distrust their castles, and decline the fight.

Verse 45

Praise, might and majesty to thee, O Lord; Thou didst thy pow'rful help to me afford;

Verse 46

Didst 'gainst my foes my injur'd cause maintain, And gav'st me o'er thy favour'd tribes to reign;

Verse 47

Thou bidst the tumults of the wicked cease, Distract'st their counsels, and commandest peace;

Verse 48

Therefore amid the nations I'll proclaim, In songs of gratitude, thy glorious name;

Verse 49

For to thy chosen, thy anointed king Didst thou, in his dismay, deliv'rance bring, Hast crown'd his days with glory and success, And still his latest progeny wilt bless.