New Version of the Psalms of David ‎#LXVIII

LXVIII. Rise, sov'reign Lord, in all thy terrors rise

1 Rise, sov'reign Lord, in all thy terrors rise;
Lo! vile impiety thy presence flies;
2 The wicked, lo! thy presence fly thro' fear,
Like smoke they vanish into empty air;
Thy vengeance strikes them; they with dread expire,
And melt like wax dissolving in the fire.
3 Not so the righteous; fill'd with pious joy,
In loud hosannas they their hours employ:
4 Sing, gracious God, thy great resistless sway,
And all the wonders of thy pow'r display;
How on thy heav'ns, in thy triumphal car,
Thou rid'st, supported by the ambient air;
5 How o'er ungrateful man thy cares extend,
The orphans father, and the widow's friend;
6 How thou, still to supply the human race,
With a large issue crown'st the chaste embrace;
How, when the fetter'd captives sue to thee,
Benign thou hear'st, and giv'st them liberty;
Dost curse the stubborn, the rebellious bands,
With barren fields, with desolated lands.
7 When Israel's favour'd tribes, from bondage freed,
Thro' the dry desart, gracious, thou didst lead,
8 Trembled low earth, astonish'd at thy pow'r;
The heav'ns above pour'd down their watery store;
E'en Sinai's top, at thy dread presence struck,
E'en Sinai's tow'ring top, with terror shook.
5 Parch'd with the drought, when gape the thirsty plains,
Thou pour'st in plenteous show'rs thy fruitful rains;
By the glad show'rs refresh'd, the teeming earth
Opens her womb, and gives her produce birth;
See the rich fields with ripening herbage gay;
The lofty trees their various fruits display;
These blessings to thy chosen dost thou give,
To that just race, that in thy precepts live.
11 When threat'ning kings pour'd forth their num'rous bands,
And struck with horrid fear the trembling lands,
Spoke the high God; his mandate strait obey'd
The tott'ring matron, and the tim'rous maid.
12 The haughty tyrants vaunt their troops in vain;
They turn, they fly, they fall, they strew the plain;
The maids, the matrons, to the plunder hie,
And bless the God that gives the victory;
They hymn his glory in harmonious lays,
And tune their harps to celebrate his praise.
13 Tho' mid the pots, in smoke, in filth, ye lie,
Ye still the dove in beauty shall outvie;
The dove, whose wings with pleasure you behold,
With silver spread, her feathers ting'd in gold.
14 Yes; Salem, that alate in darkness lay,
(Vanquish'd her pow'rful foes with dread dismay)
In splendor rises, far above her hope,
And shews more fair, than Salmons snowy top.
15 Let Bashan boast his head enwrapt in clouds,
His spacious forests, and his spreading woods;
Vainly it emulates that sacred hill,
Where heav'n's all-pow'rful Lord delights to dwell;
17 E'en he, of human race the fire, the friend,
Whom thousand thousand cherubims attend;
Whom thousand thousand glitt'ring cars await;
Whether to Sinai's height he rides in state;
Whether his presence does the temple grace,
To him up-rear'd by his peculiar race;
18 Whether, triumphant o'er rebellious foes,
Aloft to yon bright realms above he goes:
His stubborn foes in captive chains are led;
His conqu'ring arm, so late despis'd, they dread;
They own him now the universal king,
And to his hallow'd fane their victims bring,
19 Prais'd be the mercies of our sov'reign God,
Who 'as daily blessings on our lives bestow'd!
20 Our great salvation thou; in thee we breathe;
'Tis thou that giv'st, and savest us from, death;
21 Thou wound'st the rebel's head; by thee he dies;
With his black blood his vital spirit flies.
22 But to thy tribes blest mercy dost thou shew;
Safe thou protect'st them from the cruel foe;
Thou thro' the deep again wilt clear the way,
As erst thou lead'st us thro' the wond'ring sea;
23 That they their feet may dip in royal gore,
And e'en their dogs their carcases devour.
24 They, who with rev'ence to thy temple go,
The solemn triumphs of our God shall know;
25 Shall view the vocal choir, thy praise that sing,
That tune the harp, and strike the trembling string;
With raptur'd hearts shall hear the virgin-throng,
With their harmonious timbrels join the song.
26 In joyous shouts the glad assemblies rise,
And raise thy wond'rous glories to the skies:
27 The sons of Benjamin the concert join,
The noble youths of Judah's royal line;
The valiant chiefs of Zebulun are there,
The chiefs of Napthali, renown'd in war:
28 Chiefs, who, with fortitude inspir'd by thee,
Fought bravely, and were crown'd with victory,
29 By them subdued, the kings around attend
Thy temple, and afore thy altar bend:
30 The hostile bands, that on their prowess stood,
The haughty chieftains, whose delight was blood,
Rebellious when they prov'd, didst thou submit,
And mad'st them lay their laurels at thy feet.
31 To thee their tribute Egypt's princes pay,
And distant AEthiopia owes thy sway ;
32 Thy praise the kingdoms of the earth shall sing;
Yes; hail, ye nations, your eternal king,
33 In heav'n who rules, with glory bright array'd,
Whose mighty voice all nature hears with dread;
34 Hail him, the God, who gives in war success;
Whose watchful cares o'er Israel never cease;
Who is his people's firm support and stay;
Whose pow'rful strength yon low'ring clouds display;
Whose prefence in his temple strikes with fear;
Hail him, ye nations, and his name revere.

Text Information

• First Line: Rise, sov'reign Lord, in all thy terrors rise
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1756
• Scripture:
  Psalm 68

Tune Information

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