O sov'reign father, view my stubborn foes

Representative Text

1 O sov'reign father, view my stubborn foes;
With what relentless hate they've 'gainst me rose;
2 Around the men of blood my life beset;
O hear, and shield me from the woes they threat;
3 Lo! to entrap me, they their toils have laid,
And e'en the mighty join their pow'rful aid;
By me uninjur'd they their fury breathe,
And with unbated malice work my death.
5 O Lord Jehovah! sov'reign ruler, rise,
On their malicious efforts cast thy eyes;
These vile transgressors of thy statutes chace,
Nor plead thy mercy for the impious race.
6 From early dawn like rav'ning dogs they rage,
Whose famish'd maws no rapine can assuage;
And when the sun his daily talk gives o'er,
They fright the peaceful city with their roar.
7 From their vile mouths they cast forth bitter words,
Which wound more deeply than the keenest swords;
For blood, for blood, they roam with open cry,
And thy omniscience and thy pow'r defy.
8 But thou, O God, not leave me thus forlorn;
Thou view'st their mad impieties with scorn;
9 My strong defence art thou, when foes invade,
And, patient, will I wait thy mighty aid.
10 Thou wilt prevent me with thy kind relief;
Thy pow'rful hand will dissipate my griefs
And, while thou shalt my ceaseless foes destroy,
My grateful heart shall glow with honest joy.
11 Yet, Lord, our shield, yet slay them not, lest we
Forget the gratitude we owe to thee;
But bring their proud, their cruel spirits, down,
And let them wander in a land unknown.
12 And 'cause their virulent, invenom'd tongues,
Were fill'd with falshoods and with killing wrongs,
'Cause with their horrid oaths they thee defied,
Ensnare them, Lord, in their enormous pride.
13 Consume them, O consume them, in thy wrath,
Root out their race, and strike them all with death;
That the wide earth may know that Jacob's God
The just avenger of the righteous stood.
14 Or, like to rav'ning dogs, from early dawn
Around the city let them roam, forlorn;
And when the sun his daily talk gives o'er,
For want of food in horrid anguish roar.
15 Yet let them roam, and let them roar in vain;
Nor one poor morsel to relieve them gain:
16 While I thy wond'rous pow'r will sing aloud,
At morn will sing the mercies of my God;
My God, that made my cruel foes to cease,
My God, who gave me strength and gave me peace.