From distant times thou hast remained

1 From distant Times thou hast remained,
O LORD, our sure abiding Place;
And by thy mighty Arm sustained,
From Age to Age, thy chosen Race.
Before the lofty Hills appeared,
Or e'er thy Pow'r the Earth did frame,
Thou wert as LORD supreme revered;
And thou art evermore the same.

2 Frail Man, at thy fierce Indignation,
Is turn'd to Dust, of which he's made;
And when thou wouldst renew his Station,
Thy Will is instantly obey'd.
A Thousand Years to thee not seeming,
Longer than as a fleeting Day,
Or Midnight Watch, to Men when dreaming,
Whose Hours in Silence waste away.

3 Thou sweep'st us off by thy great Power,
We vanish hence like airy Dreams;
At first we grow like some fair Flower
That feels the Sun's refreshing Beams:
But howsoever fresh and blooming,
Its Beauty in the Morning shows,
'Tis soon cut down, and Flames consuming,
Destroy it e'er the Ev'ning close.

4 We by thine Anger are distressed,
And at thy Wrath we are dismay'd;
Our Crimes, whene'er we have transgressed,
Are all before thy Presence laid.
Thy dreadful Indignation lasting,
Our drooping Days in Grief we spend;
Our Years in pining Sorrow wasting,
Break off like Tales that quickly end.

5 Our Term in Sev'nty Years is ended,
An Age which very few survive;
But if that Term should be extended,
And we at Eighty should arrive;
Yet then our boasted Vigour failing,
We waste away in Grief and Pain,
The Hand of Death is soon prevailing,
And we no longer may remain.

Part II

6 But who, O LORD, thy sore Displeasure
Does with a due Regard revere?
And yet thou dost thine Anger measure,
As more or less we learn to fear.
LORD! let us be by thee respected,
And teach us our short Date to mind;
That, by true Wisdom still directed,
Our Hearts may be to GOD inclin'd.

7 Turn thee, O GOD, to us distressed,
And to thy Servants gracious be;
Let us with Mercy soon be blessed,
And make us still rejoice in thee.
Since thou hast us with Sorrows vexed,
LORD, wipe away our former Tears;
And let us be no more perplexed,
But comfort us with happier Years.

8 Let this thy wond'rous Work displayed,
To all thy Servants, LORD< be shown;
And, down to distant Times conveyed,
O let thy glorious Pow'r be known!
Be thy bright Rays to us inclined,
And kindly give our Work Success;
The glorious Work we have designed,
Do thou, O LORD, vouchsafe to bless.

Source: The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre...for the use of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of the city of New York #XC