The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley :: :: University of Virginia Library

PSALM XLVI.

[God, the omnipresent God]

God, the omnipresent God,
Our strength and refuge stands,
Ready to support the load,
And bear us in His hands:

107

Readiest when we need Him most,
When to Him distress'd we cry;
All who on His mercy trust
Shall find deliverance nigh.

Kept by Him, we scorn to fear
In danger's blackest day,
Starting at destruction near,
Though nature faint away;
Though the stormy ocean roar,
Though the madding billows rise,
Rage, and foam, and lash the shore,
And mingle earth and skies.

Let earth's inmost centre quake,
And shatter'd nature mourn;
Let the' unwieldy mountains shake,
And fall by storms uptorn;
Fall, with all their trembling load,
Far into the ocean hurl'd;
Lo! we stand secure in God,
Amidst a ruin'd world!

From the throne of God there springs
A pure and crystal stream,
Life, and peace, and joy it brings
To His Jerusalem:
Rivers of refreshing grace
Through the sacred city flow,
Watering all the hallow'd place
Where God resides below.

God most merciful, most high,
Doth in His Sion dwell;
Kept by Him, her towers defy
The strength of earth and hell;

108

Built on her o'ershadowing Rock,
Who shall her foundations move?
Who her great Defender shock,
The' almighty God of love?

All that on this Rock are stay'd
The world assaults in vain;
Ever present with His aid,
He shall His own sustain:
Guardian of the chosen race,
Our Jesus doth His church defend,
Saves them by His timely grace,
And saves them to the end.

Furiously the heathen raged
Against His church below,
Kingdoms all their powers engaged
Jerusalem to' o'erthrow:
Earth, from her foundation stirr'd,
Yawn'd to swallow up her prey;
Jesus spoke,—she own'd His word,
And quaked, and fled away.

For His people in distress
The God of Jacob stands;
Keeps us, till our troubles cease,
In His almighty hands:
He for us His power hath shown,
He doth still our refuge prove;
Loves the Lord of Hosts His own,
And shall for ever love.

Come, behold the' almighty Lord
In robes of vengeance clad;
By the desolating sword
What havoc hath He made!

109

He hath sent His armies forth,
States and kingdoms to o'erthrow,
March'd in anger through the earth,
And ravaged all below.

Lo! again in tender love
He bids their discords cease,
Calms their spirit from above,
And melts them into peace;
Breaks the bow and burns the car,
Instruments of fatal ill,
Quells the horrid din of war,
And bids the world be still:—

“Sons of men, be still, and know
That I am God alone;
I My saving power will show,
And make My goodness known;
All shall with My wish comply,
Fear the Name to sinners given;
Bow before the Lord most high,
The Lord of earth and heaven.”

For His people in distress
The God of Jacob stands,
Bears us, till our troubles cease,
In His almighty hands:
He for us His power hath shown,
He doth still our refuge prove;
Loves the Lord of Hosts His own,
And shall for ever love.