Praise Ye the Lord, for He Is Good

Praise ye the Lord, for He is good, His mercies lasting be

Published in 9 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Praise ye the Lord, for he is good,
his mercies lasting be;
2 let his redeemed say so, whom he
from hand of foes did free;
3 and gathered them out of the lands,
from north, south, east, and west.
4 They strayed in desert's pathless way,
not city found to rest.

5 Their soul with thirst and hunger faints
when troubles sore them press,
6 they cry unto the Lord, and he
them frees from their distress.
7 Them also in a way to walk
that right is he did guide,
that they might to a city go,
wherein they might abide.

8 O that men to the Lord would give
praise for his goodness then,
and for his works of wonder done
unto the sons of men!
9 For he the soul that longing is
doth fully satisfy;
with goodness he the hungry soul
doth fill abundantly.

10 Such as shut up in darkness deep,
and in death's shade abide,
whom strongly hath affliction bound
and irons fast have tied:
11 because against the words of God
they wrought rebelliously;
and they the counsel did contemn
of him that is most High:

12 With labour he brought down their hearts,
they fell, and help none gave;
13 in trouble to the Lord they cried,
from straits he did them save.
14 He out of darkness did them bring,
and from death's shade them take;
their bands, wherewith they had been bound,
he did asunder break.

15 O that men to the Lord would give
praise for his goodness then,
and for his works of wonder done
unto the sons of men!
16 Because the mighty gates of brass
in pieces he did tear,
by him in sunder also cut
the bars of iron were.

17 Fools, for their trespasses and sins,
do sore affliction ber;
18 all kinds of meat their soul abhors;
they to death's gates draw near.
19 In grief they cry to God; he saves
them from their miseries.
20 He sends his word, them heals, and them
from their destruction frees.

21 O that men to the Lord would give
praise for his goodness then,
and for his works of wonder done
unto the sons of men!
22 And let them sacrifice to him
offerings of thankfulness;
and let them show abroad his works
in songs of joyfulness.

23 Who go to sea in ships and in
great waters trading be,
24 the Lord's works these within the deep
and his great wonders see.
25 For he commands, and forth in haste
the stormy tempest flies,
which makes the sea with rolling waves
aloft to swell and rise.

26 They mount to heaven, then to the depths
they do go down again;
their soul doth faint and melt away
with trouble and with pain.
27 They reel and stagger like one drunk
at their wit's end they be:
28 in trouble to the Lord they cry,
from straits he sets them free.

29 The storm is changed into a calm
at his command and will;
so that the waves, which raged before,
now quiet are and still.
30 Then are they glad, because at rest
and quiet now they be:
so to the haven he them brings,
which they desired to see.

31 O that men to the Lord would give
praise for his goodness then,
and for his works of wonder done
unto the sons of men!
32 Among the people gathered
let them exalt his name;
among assembled elders spread
is most renowned fame.

33 He turneth springs to thirsty ground,
floods to a wilderness;
34 for sins of those that dwell therein,
fat land to barrenness.
35 He turns to pools the wilderness
long parched with drought and burned;
by him the ground dried up before
to water-springs is turned.

36 And there, for dwelling, he a place
doth to the hungry give,
that they a city may prepare
where they in peace may live.
37 There sow they fields, and vineyards plant,
which yield fruits of increase;
38 his blessing makes them multiply,
lets not their herds decrease.

39 Again they are diminished,
and brought to low estate,
by pressure of calamity,
and by affliction great.
40 On princes he doth pour contempt,
and causeth them to stray,
and wander in a wilderness,
wherein there is no way.

41 Yet setteth he the poor on high
from all their miseries,
and even like unto a flock
he maketh families.
42 They that are righteous shall rejoice,
when they the same shall see,
and, as ashamed, stop her mouth
shall all iniquity.

43 Whoso is wise, and will these things
observe, and them record,
even they shall understand the love
and kindness of the Lord.


Source: The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #P107b

Text Information

First Line: Praise ye the Lord, for He is good, His mercies lasting be
Title: Praise Ye the Lord, for He Is Good
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Refrain First Line: His tender mercies ever sure to all eternity endure
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

ST. STEPHEN (Jones)


ST. NICHOLAS (Havergal)


TIVERTON (Grigg)

Rippon credited this tune to "Rev. F. J. Grigg (d. 1768). This may refer to Joseph Grigg who died in 1768. However, it is also possible the tune was composed by Jacob Grigg, who was born in 1769 and was a fellow student with John Rippon at the Bristol Baptist College. It is also credited to Thomas G…

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The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #P107a

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The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #P107b

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The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #P107c

Include 6 pre-1979 instances
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