The mighty God, the Lord, doth speak

Verse 1

The mighty God, the Lord, doth speak, and to earth doth call, even from the rising of the sun to where he hath his fall.

Verse 2

From out of Zion, his own hill, where beauty dwells enshrined, God in his glorious majesty and mighty power hath shined.

Verse 3

Our God assuredly shall come, keep silence shall not he; before him fire shall waste, great storms shall round about him be.

Verse 4

He to the heavens above shall call, and to the earth below, that of his people he to all his judgment just may show.

Verse 5

Let all my saints together now unto me gathered be, those that by sacrifice have made a covenant with me.

Verse 6

And then the heavens shall declare his righteousness abroad; because the Lord himself doth come; none else is judge but God.

Verse 7

Hear, O my people, I will speak, and I will testify against thee, O mine Israel; God, even thy God, am I.

Verse 8

Not for thy sacrifices I reprove thee ever will, nor for burnt-offerings, which have been before me offered still.

Verse 9

I’ll take no bullock nor he-goats from house nor folds of thine:

Verse 10

beasts of the forest, cattle all on thousand hills, are mine.

Verse 11

The fowls are all to me well known that mountains high do yield; and I do challenge as mine own the wild beasts of the field.

Verse 12

If I were hungry, I would not to thee for need complain; for earth, with all its fulness, doth to me of right pertain.

Verse 13

That I to eat the flesh of bulls take pleasure dost thou think? Or that I need, to quench my thirst, the blood of goats to drink?

Verse 14

Nay, rather unto me, thy God, thanksgiving offer thou; to the Most High perform thy word, and fully pay thy vow:

Verse 15

and in the day of thy distress do thou unto my cry; I will deliver thee, and thou my name shalt glorify.

Verse 16

But to the wicked man God saith, How is it thou dost dare my covenant in thy mouth to take, my statutes to declare?

Verse 17

And yet all good instruction thou perversely hated hast, likewise my words behind thy back thou in contempt dost cast.

Verse 18

When thou a thief didst see, with him thou didst consent to sin, and with the vile adulterers thou hast partaker been.

Verse 19

Thy mouth to evil thou dost give, thy tongue deceit doth frame.

Verse 20

Thou sitt’st, and ‘gainst thy brother speak’st, thy mother’s son to shame.

Verse 21

These things thou wickedly hast done, and I have silent been; thou thought’st that I was like thyself, and did approve thy sin: but I will sharply thee reprove, and set before thine eyes, arrayed in order, thy misdeeds and thine iniquities.

Verse 22

Consider this, and be afraid, ye that forget the Lord, lest I in pieces tear you all, when none can help afford.

Verse 23

He truly doth me glorify who offers to me praise; and him I'll God's salvation show that orders right his ways.