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Text Identifier:"^o_why_so_far_removed_o_lord$"

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O Why So Far Removed?

Author: Unknown Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 2 hymnals First Line: O why so far removed, O Lord Lyrics: 1. O why so far removed, O Lord, And why so distant be; Why hidest Thou Thy face from us In our anxiety? 2. The wicked in unholy pride The lowly poor oppress; Let them be taken in the snare Of their own craftiness. 3. The wicked in his arrogance Refuses God to fear, Nor is it in his thoughts at all The sovereign God to hear. 4. His ways are grievous and Thy laws Too high for him to see; He therefore his defiance bids, And taunts his enemy. 5. For he within his heart has said, I suffer no distress, Adversity comes not to me, I still have had success. 6. In cursing and deceit and fraud His tongue is ever skilled; With festering iniquity His mouth is ever filled. 7. He lurks in village hiding place, And in dark corners bent, He watches for the humble poor, To seize the innocent. 8. In stealth he cowers covertly As lion in his lair, That he may pounce upon the poor, And catch him in his snare. 9. He crouches low so that the poor To his strong friends may fall, And tells himself that God forgets Or sees it not at all. 10. Arise, O Lord, and lift Thy hand, The poor in memory keep. How can the wicked blaspheme God And say He is asleep? 11. For surely Thou dost see, O Lord, Dost see the sin and spite; And when the helpless look to Thee Thou dost their wrong requite. 12. Break Thou the force of evil men, Befriend the fatherless, Trace out the wicked everywhere, Uproot their wickedness. 13. The Lord our God is sovereign still, The heathen all are slain. Thou, Lord, hast heard the suppliant’s prayer And dost his heart sustain. 14. No more shall boasting arrogance Or taunting pride oppress; The poor and orphaned Thou wilt hear And judge with righteousness. Used With Tune: SAWLEY

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SAWLEY

Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 270 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: James Walch Tune Key: B Flat Major Incipit: 17653 47653 21716 Used With Text: O Why So Far Removed?

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Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals
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O Why So Far Removed?

Author: Unknown Hymnal: The Cyber Hymnal #5529 Meter: 8.6.8.6 First Line: O why so far removed, O Lord Lyrics: 1. O why so far removed, O Lord, And why so distant be; Why hidest Thou Thy face from us In our anxiety? 2. The wicked in unholy pride The lowly poor oppress; Let them be taken in the snare Of their own craftiness. 3. The wicked in his arrogance Refuses God to fear, Nor is it in his thoughts at all The sovereign God to hear. 4. His ways are grievous and Thy laws Too high for him to see; He therefore his defiance bids, And taunts his enemy. 5. For he within his heart has said, I suffer no distress, Adversity comes not to me, I still have had success. 6. In cursing and deceit and fraud His tongue is ever skilled; With festering iniquity His mouth is ever filled. 7. He lurks in village hiding place, And in dark corners bent, He watches for the humble poor, To seize the innocent. 8. In stealth he cowers covertly As lion in his lair, That he may pounce upon the poor, And catch him in his snare. 9. He crouches low so that the poor To his strong friends may fall, And tells himself that God forgets Or sees it not at all. 10. Arise, O Lord, and lift Thy hand, The poor in memory keep. How can the wicked blaspheme God And say He is asleep? 11. For surely Thou dost see, O Lord, Dost see the sin and spite; And when the helpless look to Thee Thou dost their wrong requite. 12. Break Thou the force of evil men, Befriend the fatherless, Trace out the wicked everywhere, Uproot their wickedness. 13. The Lord our God is sovereign still, The heathen all are slain. Thou, Lord, hast heard the suppliant’s prayer And dost his heart sustain. 14. No more shall boasting arrogance Or taunting pride oppress; The poor and orphaned Thou wilt hear And judge with righteousness. Languages: English Tune Title: SAWLEY

O Why So Far Removed, O Lord

Hymnal: Psalter Hymnal (Blue) #15 (1976) Meter: 8.6.8.6 Topics: Covetousness; Deliverance From Enemies; Persecution Of Believers; Punishment Of The Wicked; Unbelief Scripture: Psalm 10 Languages: English Tune Title: SAWLEY

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Anonymous

Person Name: Unknown Author of "O Why So Far Removed?" in The Cyber Hymnal In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries.

James Walch

1837 - 1901 Composer of "SAWLEY" in Psalter Hymnal (Blue) James Walch was a musician and composer, born near Bolton, Lancashire, England in 1837. He spent his early life in the town and was organist in several churches there, including the parish church of St George’s. From 1870-1877, he was conductor for the Bolton Philharmonic Society. He also composed at least four published hymn tunes, the best known of which is called “Tidings”. Written in 1875, it’s usually used as the tune to a hymn called “O Zion Haste”. James Walch was a musical instrument dealer by trade, and moved to Barrow-in-Furness in 1877. He later moved to Llandudno Junction in North Wales, where he died in August 1901 and was buried locally. His wife later donated money to pay for the organs in two local churches, St Paul's Llandudno and All Saints Deganwy, in his memory. Three decades later, an article in the London Gazette reported on a dispute arising from his will, and mentioned that he had a son, Harry West Walch, who was a pianist and lived in Hereford. St Paul's Church, Llandudno newsletter; used by permission of Christ Dearden (Walch's wife paid for the organ at St. Paul's Church)
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