Thy Mercies, Lord

Verse 1

Thy mercies, Lord, shall be my song, My song on them shall ever dwell; To ages yet unborn, my tongue Thy never-failing truth shall tell.

Verse 2

I have affirm'd and still maintain, Thy mercy shall for ever last; Thy truth, that does the heav'ns sustain, Like them shall stand for ever fast.

Verse 3

Thus spak'st thou by thy prophet's voice: "With David I a League have made; "To him, my servant, and my choice, "By solemn oath this Grant convey'd:

Verse 4

"While earth, and seas, and skies endure, "Thy seed shall in my sight remain; "To them thy throne I will ensure, "They shall to endless ages reign."

Verse 5

For such stupendous truth and love, Both heav'n and earth just praises owe, By choirs of angels sung above, And by assembled saints below.

Verse 6

What seraph of celestial birth To vie with Isr'el's God shall dare? Or who among the gods of earth, With our almighty Lord compare.

Verse 7

With rev'reence and religious dread, His saints should to his temple press; His fear thro' all their hearts should spread, Who his almighty name confess.

Verse 8

Lord God of armies, who can boast Of strength or pow'r like thine renown'd? Of such a num'rous faithful host, As that which does thy throne surround?

Verse 9

Thou dost the lawless sea controul, And change the prospect of the deep; Thou mak'st the sleeping billows roll, Thou mak'st the rolling billows sleep.

Verse 10

Thou brak'st in pieces Rahab's pride, And did'st oppressing pow'r disarm: Thy scatter'd foes have dearly try'd The force of thy resistless arm.

Verse 11

In thee the sov'reign right remains Of earth and heav'n; thee, Lord, alone The world and all that it contains, Their Maker and Preserver own.

Verse 12

The poles on which the globe doth rest, Were form'd by thy creating voice; Tabor and Hermon, east and west In thy sustaining pow'r rejoice.

Verse 13

Thy arm is mighty, strong thy hand, Yet, Lord, thou dost with justice reign; Possess'd of absolute command, Thou truth and mercy dost maintain.

Verse 14

Happy, thrice happy they, who hear Thy sacred trumpet's joyful sound: Who may at festivals appear, With thy most glorious presence crown'd.

Verse 15

Thy saints shall always be o'erjoy'd, Who on thy sacred name rely; And, in thy righteousness employ'd, Above their foes be rais'd on high.

Verse 16

For in thy strength they shall advance, Whose conquests from thy favour spring: The Lord of hosts is our defence, And Isr'el's God our Isr'el's King.

Verse 17

Thus spak'st thou by thy prophet's voice, "A mighty champion I will send; "From Judah's tribe have I made choice "Of one who shall the rest defend.

Verse 18

"My servant David I have found, "With holy oil anointed him; "Him shall the hand support that crown'd, "And guard that gave the diadem.

Verse 19

"No prince from him, shall tribute force, "No son of strife shall him annoy; "His spiteful foes I will disperse, "And them before his face destroy.

Verse 20

"My truth and grace shall him sustain; "His armies, in well order'd ranks, "Shall conquer, from the Tyrian main "To Tigris' and Euphrates' banks.

Verse 21

"Me for his Father he shall take, "His God and rock of safety call; "Him I my first-born son will make, "And earthly kings his subjects all.

Verse 22

"To him my mercy I'll secure, "My cov'nant make for ever fast; "His seed for ever shall endure, "His throne, till heav'n dissolve, shall last.

Verse 23

"But if his heirs my law forsake, "And from my sacred precepts stray; "If they my righteous statutes break, "Nor strictly my commands obey.

Verse 24

"Their sins I'll visit with a rod, "And for their folly make them smart; "Yet will not cease to be their God, "Nor from my truth, like them, depart.

Verse 25

'My cov'nant I will ne'er revoke, "But in remembrance fast retain; "The thing that once my lips have spoke "Shall in eternal force remain.

Verse 26

"Once have I sworn, but once for all, "And made my holiness the tie, "That I my grant will ne'er recall, "Nor to my Servant David lie.

Verse 27

"Whose throne and race the constant sun "Shall like his course establish'd see: "Of this my oath, revolving moon, "In heav'n my faithful witness be."

Verse 28

Such was thy gracious promise, Lord; But thou hast now our tribes forsook: Thy own anointed hast abhorr'd, And turn'd on him thy wrathful look.

Verse 29

Thou seemest to have render'd void The cov'nant with thy servant made, Thou hast his dignity destroy'd, And in the dust his honour laid.

Verse 30

Of strong holds thou hast him bereft, And brought his bulwarks to decay: His frontier-coasts defenceeless left, A public scorn, and common prey.

Verse 31

His ruin does glad triumphs yield To foes advanc'd by thee to night; Thou hast his conqu'ring sword unsteel'd, His valour turn'd to shameful flight.

Verse 32

His glory is to darkness fled, His throne is levell'd with the ground; His youth to wretched bondage led, With shame o'erwhelm'd, and sorrow drown'd.

Verse 33

How long shall we thy absence mourn? Wilt thou for ever, Lord, retire? Shall thy consuming anger burn Till that and we at once expire?

Verse 34

Consider, Lord, how short a space Thou dost for mortal life ordain; No method to prolong the race, But loading it with grief and pain.

Verse 35

What man is he that can controul Death's strict unalterable doom? Or rescue from the grave his soul, The grave that must mankind entomb.

Verse 36

Lord, where's thy love, thy boundless grace, The oath to which thy truth did seal, Consign'd to David and his race, The grant which time should ne'er repeal.

Verse 37

See how thy servants treated are With infamy, reproach and spite; Which in my silent breast I bear, From nations, of licentious might.

Verse 38

How they, reproaching thy great name, Have made thy servants hope their jest: Yet thy just praises we'll proclaim, And sing amen, "The Lord be blest."