University of Virginia Library

Taught by our Sires, great God, our ear
Thy wondrous Acts has wak'd to hear,
The Mercies to their Tribes reveal'd,
When Ages long o'erpast beheld
By thee dislodg'd an impious race
Yield to their chosen Seed a place,
And Israel's Sons, thy foes o'erthrown,
Succeed to labours not their own.
There, planted by the hand divine,
With large increase their prosp'ring Line
Are bless'd, and nourish'd by thy care
The fulness of thy bounty share.
For not the arm of human might,
Nor sword of steel, upheld their right;
Thy pow'r exerted in their aid,
Thy presence o'er their heads display'd,
Proclaim'd them favour'd from on high,
And bade each force before them fly.
Thee, Lord, my King, and Thee alone,
Attentive to thy Laws I own;
Indulgent still, Almighty Friend,
Thy Arm in Israel's cause extend.
Through Thee our Hosts unmov'd shall stand,
Strike with the horn each adverse band,
Thy name invok'd, their fury meet,
And tread them breathless at their feet.
Not from my sword or from my bow
My soul such confidence shall know;
Thou, Lord, each adverse pow'r shalt quell,
Thy strength their gath'ring troops dispell:
That strength our boast, thy hallow'd name
Our hymns of loudest praise shall claim,
While Time shall roll its rapid tide,
And Day and Night thy works divide.

But now, thy wonted aid withheld,
Repuls'd, asham'd, we quit the field;
No more we see, to battle led,
Th' Almighty Conqu'ror at our head,
But quick retreat in wild dismay,
Abandon'd to our foes a prey.
As Beasts for food decreed we die,
Or, spar'd, as worthless in thine eye
See! sold for nought our Lords we change,
And lost through distant climates range.
Each neighb'ring Realm with scornful gaze
Thy People's ruin'd state surveys;
Our name, amid the Nations round,
A proverb in each mouth is found;
Assembled Crouds insulting stand,
And fierce Derision claps the hand.
How feels my heart the dire disgrace!
How glows with ceaseless shame my face,
While thus, divested of thy fear,
With keen reproach they wound my ear,
And with revengeful hand fulfill
The dictates of their lawless will!

Yet, torn with grief, with dread oppress'd,
Thy eyes can witness that our breast
Its trust from Thee has ne'er remov'd,
Nor faithless to thy Compact prov'd.
No Lord but Thee thy Servants greet,
Nor wander from thy paths our feet,
Though 'midst the dragon's haunts we tread,
And death's dark shades are round us spread.
If e'er, averse to thy command,
To Stranger-Gods we lift the hand,
Say, shall our crime thy search elude,
Whose eyes our inmost thoughts have view'd?
Thy Cause we still avow; thy Cause
The hostile sword against us draws,
And numbers to the death our train,
As Sheep, whose blood the hallow'd fane,
Before the Altar's kindled flames,
By regular allotment claims.
Arise, eternal God, arise;
Why sits this slumber on thine eyes?
Awake, nor from thy care expell
Thy once regarded Israel.
Why veils th' impervious cloud thy face?
Say why to our afflicted race
Thy ear its pity still denies,
Nor hears thy captive People's cries,
As sunk with sorrow's weight we bend,
And prostrate in the dust descend.
Arise, thy saving pow'r disclose,
And heal with pitying hand our woes.