3 In my distress I sought my God,
I sought Jehovah's face;
My cry before Him came;
Out of His holy place.
4 The Lord descended from above,
And bow'd the heavens most high,
And underneath His feet He cast
The darkness of the sky.
5 On cherub and on cherubim
Full royally He rode,
And on the wings of mighty winds
Came flying all abroad.
6 And so deliver'd He my soul:
Who is a rock but He?
He liveth-Blessed be my
My God exalted be!
Thomas Sternhold, 1562.
PSALM 18. VERSION II. L. M.
No change of times shall ever shock
My firm affection, Lord, to Thee;
For Thou hast always been my rock,
A fortress and defence to me.
2 Thou my deliv'rer art, my God,
My trust is in Thy mighty power;
Thou art my shield from foes abroad,
At home my safeguard and my tower.
3 Let the eternal Lord be praised,
The rock on whose defence I rest;
O'er highest heavens His name be raised,
Who me with His salvation blest.
4 Therefore to celebrate His fame
My grateful voice to heav'n I'll raise;
And nations, strangers to His name,
Shall thus be taught to sing His praise.
Tate and Brady, 1696.
PSALM 18. VERSION III. L.M.
UST are Thy ways, and true Thy Word,
JGreat Rock of my secure abode.
Who is a God beside the Lord?
Or where's a refuge like our God?
2 'Tis He that girds me with His might,
Gives me His holy sword to wield:
And while with sin and hell I fight,
Spreads His salvation for my shield.
3 He lives, (and blessed be my Rock!)
The God of my salvation lives;
The dark designs of hell are broke;
Sweet is the peace my Father gives.
4 Before the scoffers of the age,
I will exalt my Father's name;
Nor tremble at their mighty rage,
But meet reproach, and bear the shame.
5 To David and his royal seed
Thy grace for ever shall extend:
Thy love to saints, in Christ their head,
Knows not a limit, nor an end.
HE heavens declare Thy glory, Lord;
In ev'ry star Thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold Thy word,
We read Thy name in fairer lines.
2 Sun, moon, and stars convey Thy praise
Round the whole earth, and never stand;
So when Thy truth began its race,
It touch'd and glanced on ev'ry land..
3 Nor shall Thy spreading gospel rest,
Till through the world Thy truth has run;
Till Christ has all the nations blest
That see the light, or feel the sun.
4 Great Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Bless the dark world with heavenly light;
Thy gospel makes the simple wise;
Thy laws are pure, Thy judgments right.
5 Thy noblest wonders here we view,
In souls renew'd, and sins forgiven:
Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew,
And make Thy word my guide to heaven.
Isaac Watts, 1719.
JESUS, with Thy salvation blest,
We yield the glory to Thy name: Fix'd in Thy strength our banners rest, With joy Thy vict'ry we proclaim.
2 Jehovah hears, He hears Thy prayer,
The prayer on which our hope relies;
Thy cross salvation shall prepare,
From His right hand Thy vict'ries rise.
3 Let men the rattling chariot trust,
Or the swift steed, with courage stored,
In Thee our confidence we boast,
Jesus, Messiah, conquering Lord!
4 Safe shall we stand, nor yield to fear,
When sinners with their hopes shall fall:
Save, Lord, O King Messiah, hear!
Hear, mighty Saviour, when we call.
1 THY strength, O Lord, makes glad our King
Salvation makes His heart to sing,
For Thou hast raised Him from the dead.
2 Thou hast bestow'd His heart's desires,
Shower'd on His path Thy blessings down;
His royal pomp all heaven admires;
Thou on His head hast set the crown.
3 A life eternal as Thy years,
A glory infinite like Thine,
Repays Him for His groans and tears,
And fills His soul with joy divine.
4 0 King, beloved of our souls,
Thine own right hand shall find Thy foes:
Swift o'er their necks Thy chariot rolls,
And earth Thy dreadful vengeance knows
5 As glowing oven is Thy wrath,
As flame by furious blast upblown;
With equal heat Thy love breaks forth,
Like wall of fire around Thine own.
6 Be Thou exalted, King of kings,
In Thine own strength sit Thou on high,
Thy Church Thy triumph loudly sings,
And lauds Thy glorious majesty.
Charles H. Spurgeon, 1866.
Y God, my God, why leav'st Thou me
When I with anguish faint?
Oh, why so far from me removed,
And from my sad complaint?
2 All day, but all the day unheard,
To Thee do I complain;
With cries implore relief all night,
But cry all night in vain.
3 Withdraw not, Lord, so far from me,
When trouble is so nigh;
Oh, send me help! Thy help, on which
I only can rely.
N The dying sorrows of our Lord,
OW let our mournful songs record
When He complain'd in tears and blood,
As one forsaken of His God.
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