1752. Great God, How Oft Did Israel Prove

1. Great God, how oft did Israel prove
By turns Thine anger and Thy love!
There in a glass our hearts may see
How fickle and how false they be.

2. How soon the faithless Jews forgot
The dreadful wonders God had wrought!
Then they provoke Him to His face
Nor fear His power, nor trust His grace.

3. The Lord consumed their years in pain,
And made their travels long and vain;
A tedious march through unknown ways
Wore out their strength, and spent their days.

4. Oft when they saw their brethren slain
They mourned, and sought the Lord again;
Called Him the Rock of their abode,
Their high Redeemer, and their God.

5. Their prayers and vows before Him rise
As flattering words or solemn lies,
While their rebellious tempers prove
False to His covenant and His love.

6. Yet did His sovereign grace forgive
The men who not deserved to live;
His anger oft away He turned,
Or else with gentle flame it burned.

7. He saw their flesh was weak and frail,
He saw temptations still prevail;
The God of Abraham loved them still,
And led them to His holy hill.

Text Information
First Line: Great God, how oft did Israel prove
Title: Great God, How Oft Did Israel Prove
Author: Isaac Watts (1719)
Meter: LM
Language: English
Source: The Psalms of David, 1719
Copyright: Public Domain
Tune Information
Name: ALLMÄCHTIGER GOTT
Composer: Johann Crüger, 1598-1662 (1640)
Meter: LM
Incipit: 11235 43251 76554
Key: D Major
Copyright: Public Domain



Media
Adobe Acrobat image: Adobe Acrobat image
(Cyber Hymnal)
MIDI file: MIDI File
(Cyber Hymnal)
Noteworthy Composer score: Noteworthy Composer score
(Cyber Hymnal)
XML score: XML score
More media are available on the tune authority page.

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us