The Psalms of David ‎#465

465. The Ten Commandments

1 GOD spake these Words, O Isr'el, hear,
What I shall now command;
Thy LORD and only GOD am I,
Who with Almighty Hand

2 From Egy't's Land, and from the House
OfBondag set thee free;
And therefore, Isr'el, thou shlat hve
No other Gods but me.

II

3 Thou shalt no graven Image make,
Nor Likeness shalt thou feign,
Of any Thing that Heav'n or Earth,
Or watry Deeps contain.

4 Thou shalt not bow thyself to them,
Nor outward Worship pay;
Much less shalt thou in Heart adore,
And to an Idol pray.

5 For I, thy GOD, a jealous GOD,
The Father's Sins chastise,
To third and fourth Descent, of all
Who are my Enemies.

6 But Mercy do to Thousands shew,
And bounteously repay,
All those who me sincerely love,
And my Commands obey.

III

7 The sacred Name of GOD, thy LORD,
Thou never shalt profane;
For GOD will them not guiltless hold,
Who take his Name in vain.

IV

8 Remember thou the Sabbath-Day
To keep with holy Care;
Six Days for Labour thou shalt take;
The seventh shalt revere.

9 The LORD thy GOD the seventh Day
His Sabbath doth ordain;
In which thou shalt from ev'ry Kind
Of worldly Work refrain.

10 Thyself, thy Children, Servants then
From Labour shall be free;
Thy Cattle, and the Stranger whom
Thou tak'st to dwell with thee.

11 For GOD thy LORD was pleas'd the Space
Of six whole Days to take,
The Heav'ns, the Earth and Seas, and all
Therein contain'd, to make;

12 But rested on the seventh Day,
Which for that Case he bless'd,
And sanctifi'd it to be kpet
A Day of holy Rest.

V

13 Honour thy Parents, that thou may'st
Both long and happy live,
In that bless'd Land, which GOD thy LORD
Did for thy Dwelling give.

VI

14 Thou shalt not kill; avoid whate'er
To Life would hurtful prove;
To all Mankind thou shalt perform
The Offices of Love.

VII

15 Adult'ry thou shalt not commit,
But keep thee chaste and clean;
The Temples of the LORD must not
Defiled be with Sin.

VIII

16 Thou shalt not steal; detest all Fraud,
And never seek by Wrong
To take unto thyself, what to
Another doth belong.

IX

17 False Witness thou shalt never bear,
Against another's Name.
Hate Lies, love Truth, thou shalt defend,
Thy Neighbour's honest Fame.

X

18 Thou shalt not covet House, or Wife,
Or Man, or Maid of his,
Or Ox, or Ass, or aught whereof
He rightful Owner is.

19 Have Mercy therefore on us, LORD<
And all our Hearts incline,
With Diligence and Care to keep
Those righteous Laws of thine.

Text Information

• First Line: God spake these Words, O Isr'el, hear
• Title: The Ten Commandments
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1767
• Scripture:
  Exodus 20:1-17

Tune Information

• Name: [God spake these Words, O Isr'el, hear]
• Key: F Major