To GOD, our never failing Strength, With glad Applauses, loudly sing
English
Primary Scripture: Psalm 81
Verse 1
To GOD, our never failing Strength, With glad Applause, loudly sing; And jointly make a chearful Noise, To Jacob's great and awful King.
Verse 2
Compose a lofty Hymn of Praise, And touch your Instruments of Joy, Let Psalteries and pleasant Harps, With warbling Lutes, your Skill employ.
Verse 3
Let Trumpets at the great new Moon, Their animating Voices raise, To celebrate the joyful Time, Th'appointed solemn Day of Praise.
Verse 4
For this a Statute was of old, Which Jacob's GOD himself decreed, To be with pious Care observ'd For Times to come, by Israel's Seed.
Verse 5
This he, for a Memorial fix'd, In Joseph, freed from Egypt's Land; Strange Nations barb'rous Speech we heard, A Speech we could not understand.
Verse 6
"Your bureen'd Shoulders I reliev'd, (Thus seem'd our gracious GOD to say;) "And by my Pow'r your servile Hands, "Were freed from lab'ring in the Clay.
Verse 7
Your Ancestors, with Wrongs oppress'd, For timely Help did call on me; With Pity I their Suff'rings saw, and from their Troubles set them free.
Verse 8
They fought for me, and from the Clouds In awful Thunder I reply'd; At Meribah's contentious Stream, Their Faith and Duty both were try'd.
Verse 9
Whilst I my solemn Will declare, Do thou my chosen People hear; If thou, O Israel! to my Words Wilt lend thy list'ning Ear.
Verse 10
Then shall no GOD besides myself, Within thy Limits e'er be found, Nor shalt thou worship any GOD Adored by the Nations round.
Verse 11
The LORD thy GOD, am I alone, Who brought thee out of Egypt's Land; 'Tis I that all thy just Desires Do still supply with lib'ral Hand.
Verse 12
But they, my chosen Race, refus'd To hearken to my gracious Voice; Nor would rebellious Israel's Sons Make me, with Confidence, their Choice.
Verse 13
So I provok'd, resign'd them up, To ev'ry wicked Lust a Prey; And in their own perverse Designs Permitted them to go astray.
Verse 14
O that my People wisely would, My just and mild Commandments heed; That Israel in my righteous Ways Would still, with pious Care, proceed.
Verse 15
Then should my heavy Judgments fall, On all who would their Pow'r oppose; And my avenging Hand be rais'd To cut off all their daring Foes.
Verse 16
Their Enemies, and mine, should all, Before my Footstool lowly bend; But as for them, their happy State Should stand secure, nor know an End.
Verse 17
All Parts with Plenty should abound, With fairest Wheat the fruitful Field, The barren clifts of craggy Rocks, For them should richest Honey yield.
Scripture References
Reference 1
- psalms 81