University of Virginia Library

PSALM XLIV.

[O God, we of Thy fame have heard]

PART I.

O God, we of Thy fame have heard,
Our fathers in our ears have told
How oft Thou hast for them appear'd,
And wonders wrought in times of old.
Thou didst with Thine almighty hand
The seven devoted nations chase,
Cast out the heathen from their land,
And plant Thine Israel in their place.

For not by their own arm or sword
The land they in possession gain'd,
Thy arm, and Thy right hand, O Lord,
For them the victory obtain'd.
Thy countenance benignly shone,
And help'd and saved the chosen seed,
Thou didst Thy favourite people own,
And conquering, on to conquer lead.

O God, Thou art my God and King,
Thou dost the same for ever reign,
Salvation to Thy Jacob bring,
Deliverances for us ordain:
Through Thee we have our foes o'erthrown,
And still we shall the victory get,
O'ercome them through Thy name alone,
And tread them down beneath our feet.

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100

For not in my own sword or bow
Will I for help or safety trust,
Thou, only Thou, hast quell'd the foe,
And trod his honour in the dust.
Thy name demands the grateful song,
O God, we glory in Thy grace,
In Thee we triumph all day long,
And dwell for ever on Thy praise.

PART II.

But Thou, alas! hast put to shame,
And left us at our greatest need;
Thou dost no more declare Thy name,
Thou dost no more our armies lead:
Thou mak'st us basely turn our back
And flee before our foes away;
Swift to pursue, our foes o'ertake,
And fiercely seize their trembling prey.

Thou hast abhorr'd Thine heritage,
And given us up as sheep design'd
For slaughter, to the heathen's rage,
The scorn and outcasts of mankind:
Scatter'd through all the nations round,
Thy people Thou hast sold for nought,
It doth not to Thy praise redound
The misery on Thy Israel brought.

Thou mak'st us a reproach and scorn
To friends and foes, far off and near,
(The world rejoice, the faithful mourn,)
A proverb of derision here:

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101

The heathen shake their heads and cry
With steadfast hate and cool disdain,
“Cast down and in the dust they lie,
And never shall they rise again.”

Confusion o'er my soul is spread,
Apparent in my blushing face,
I ever bear the burning red,
The conscious colour of disgrace;
With shame the dire reproach I hear,
The scoffer that blasphemes aloud,
That executes Thy judgments here,
God's enemy, and the scourge of God.

PART III.

Yet not for all this blasphemy
Have we, O Lord, Thy paths forsook,
Or in our heart turn'd back from Thee,
Or faithlessly Thy covenant broke.
Though Thou hast sorely smote us down,
And cast into the dragon's teeth,
And cover'd with Thine anger's frown
That shadow of eternal death.

Had we of God forgetful been,
Or worship to an idol paid,
Who tries the hearts and reins had seen
And all our secret sins display'd.
But O, Thou know'st we suffer wrong,
For Thy dear sake, and loss and pain,
Exposed and outraged all day long
As sheep appointed to be slain.

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102

Awake, O Lord, for us arise,
No longer sleep, no longer stay;
Ah, do not still Thine own despise,
For ever cast us not away!
Ah, wherefore dost Thou hide Thy face,
Regardless of our misery,
And sufferest fiends and men to' oppress
The helpless souls beloved by Thee?

Our soul is to the dust bow'd down,
Our belly to the earth doth cleave,
Hear Thine afflicted people groan,
And for Thy mercy sake relieve;
Arise, Thy great salvation show,
Our foes confound, our shame remove,
That all the world with us may know
Thine utmost power of saving love.