Why does my God forsake me? will no more

Verse 1

Why does my God forsake me? will no more Thy goodness aid me, when I life implore?

Verse 2

The tedious day, the live-long night I sigh; In vain; thy saving pow'r does still deny.

Verse 3

Yet art thou holy, O thou sov'reign king; Thy praise the sons of Sion constant sing;

Verse 4

On thee our fathers in their woes relied, On thee they call'd, nor was thy aid denied.

Verse 5

Their only solace in their sore distress, Benign thou heard'st their pray'r, and didst redress.

Verse 6

But I'm a worm no man am I the croud With jeers insult me, and reproach aloud;

Verse 7

With killing scorn, who meet me in the way, Shoot out the lip and make the head, and say;

Verse 8

"In God he plac'd his empty confidence; "The Lord he boasted for his sure defence; "Since Heav'n his glory, his delight he made, "Let him support him now, and grant him aid."

Verse 9

But sure, when in the dreary womb I lay, Thy goodness gave me, to enjoy the day; When a weak helpless infant at the breast, Thou wast my God, and with thy favour blest:

Verse 10

Now then, when only thou canst comfort give, Let me secure in thy protection live.

Verse 11

Wild bulls of Bashan compass me around; Me they beset, and meditate the wound;

Verse 12

On me they gape, and threaten to devour, And, like to fierce and famish'd lions, roar.

Verse 13

My blood flows out; shrunk up is ev'ry vein; My feeble joints, my body scarce sustain; My trembling tortur'd heart forgets to beat; It melts, like wax dissolving in the heat:

Verse 14

Like a mere potsherd, am I dried away; My strength is lost; my weaken'd limbs decay; Close to my shrivel'd jaws my tongue does cleave, And lo! I totter o'er the gaping grave.

Verse 15

For the whole impious rout enclose me round; And, like fell wolves, my wretched body wound.

Verse 16

They pierce my hands my feet so lank I'm grown, With ease may be distinguished bone from bone. With the sad view they glut their rav'ning eye, And feed their cruel hearts with horrid joy.

Verse 17

My various garments 'mongst them they divide, And, whose my vesture, by the lot is tried,

Verse 18

But, gracious Lord, thy pleading servant hear, And haste my sad afflicted soul to chear,

Verse 19

Drive back the sword of my assaulting foes; The fury of these rav'ning wolves oppose;

Verse 20

O save me, save me from the lions jaws, And with thy strongest might support my cause.

Verse 21

From death redeem'd, thy goodness I'll proclaim, And in the glad assembly hymn thy name.

Verse 22

Ye humble souls, that fear the Lord, rejoice; Ye sons of Jacob, raise the tuneful voice; In festal hymns set forth his saving pow'r, In songs of joy his clemency adore:

Verse 23

For, when th' afflicted in sad anguish cried, With scorn he heard not, nor his aid denied; Nor from his mis'ries turn'd his face away, But to his troubled soul restor'd the day.

Verse 24

Therefore his praises shall employ my tongue, And all the pious tribes shall join the song.

Verse 25

The humbly meek, that seek th' almighty Lord, Who've long his glorious attributes ador'd, With joy shall at his sacred banquet feed, And satisfy their soul with living bread.

Verse 26

Yes; all the nations of the world shall own His pow'r, shall worship 'fore his awful throne; Earth's farthest bounds his statutes shall obey, And with according voice avow his sway:

Verse 27

Earth's farthest bounds are subject to his pow'r, And he's the universal governor.

Verse 28

The rich, the mighty, at his board shall sit, And bless his sov'reign bounty, while they eat; The poor, just sinking to the shades below, 'Fore him in humble adoration bow.

Verse 29

A feed lhall ferve him, and his name adore, And be accounted bis, till time's no more ;

Verse 30

To people yet unborn his works proclaim, Difplay the wonders of his holy name ; His dread inflictions on the haughty proud, His ever-flowing mercy on the good,