Psalm 59          J.H.

Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre

Common Metre Tunes

   1  Send aid, and save me from my foes,
         O Lord, I pray to thee;
      Defend and keep me from all those
         that rise and strive with me.
   2  O Lord, preserve me from those men
         Whose doings are not good;
      And set me sure and safe from them
         that thirst still after blood.
    3  For lo, they wait my soul to take,
         they rage against me still;
      Yea, for no fault that I did make,
         I never did them ill.
   4  They run and do themselves prepare,
         when I no whit offend;
      Arise, and save me from their snare,
         and see what they intend.
   5  Arise, O God of Israel,
         smite ev'ry heathen land;
      And pity none that do rebel,
         and in their mischief stand.
   6  At night they run and seek about,
         like dogs they howl also,
      And all the city quite throughout
         from place to place they go.
   7  They speak of me with mouth alway,
         but in their lips are swords;
      They have contrived my death, and say,
         There's no one hears our words.
   8  But, Lord, thou hast their ways espied,
         and thou shalt them disgrace;
      The heathen folk thou dost deride,
         and mock them to their face.
   9  The strength that doth our foes withstand,
         O Lord, doth come from thee:
      Thou art, O God, my help at hand,
         a fort and fence to me.
  10  The Lord to me doth show his grace
         in great abundance still,
      That I may see my foes in case
         such as my heart doth will.
  The Second Part. 
  11  Destroy them not at once, O Lord,
         lest it from mind do fall;
      But with thy strength drive them abroad,
         and so consume them all.
  12  For their ill words and lying tongue
         confound them in their pride;
      Their wicked oaths with lies and wrong
          let all the world deride.
  13  That men may know throughout the world
         that Jacob's God doth reign.
      Consume them in thy wrath, O Lord,
         that nought of them remain;
  14  At ev'ning they return apace,
         as dogs they grin and cry;
      Throughout the streets in ev'ry place
         they run about and spy.
  15  They seek about for meat alway,
         but let them not be fed,
      Nor find a house wherein they may
         be bold to put their head.
  16  But I will shew thy strength abroad,
         thy goodness I will praise;
      For thou art my defense and God
         in time of need always.
  17  Thou art my strength, thou hast me stayed,
         O Lord, I sing to thee;
      Thou art my fort, my fence, and aid,
         a loving God to me.


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