Psalm CXXIV.
1
Now Israel may well and truly cry,
If that the Lord had not been on our side;
If that the Lord to help us had deni'd,
When men rose up against us furiously
We had been lost beyond recovery.
2
For certain then we had been all undone,
And us alive our enemies had devour'd;
Such was their rage, and such their mighty power;
Like swelling floods they over us had gone:
So very near was our destruction.
3
The waters proud whose threatning waves did roar,
Had overwhelm'd, and drown'd us in the deep:
But our good God did us in safety keep,
From cruel teeth of such as would devour;
His holy name be praised evermore.
4
Even as a bird the fowlers snare doth break,
And flies away; so we delivered were:
The snare is broke, and we escaped are:
The mighty God that heaven and earth did make,
He only sav'd us for his mercies sake.
2 Metre.
1
Had not the Lord been on our side,
May Israel now confess:
Had not the Lord been on our side,
When we were in distress:
2
We had been swallowed up alive,
When men against us rose:
So very great the fury was,
And power of our foes.
3
The waters deep had overwhelm'd,
And drown'd us every one:
The waters proud had swallow'd us,
And over us had gone.
4
But blessed be our gracious God,
Who sav'd us from their power:
Nor left us for a prey to them,
That cruelly devour.
5
We are escaped as a bird,
Out of the fowlers snare:
The snare is now in pieces broke,
And we escaped are.
6
Our help is in the name of God,
Who heaven and earth did make:
He only hath delivered us,
For his great mercies sake.
