Psalm CXLIV

Blest be the Lord, my strength, my shield,
Amid the dangers of the field;
'Tis he instructs me for the fight,
And arms me with resistless might.

His constant love, his saving power,
Is my defence, my sacred tower;
Rebellion hears his potent word,
And my glad people own their Lord,

Lord, what is man, that he should share
Thy kind regard, thy constant care?
Can all the weak, the wretched race,
Deserve such condescending grace?

Man's short existence, frail at best,
Is empty vanity confess'd;
His life, a shadow, fleets away,
And leaves no traces of its stay.

Descend from heaven, almighty Lord,
And earth shall tremble at thy word;
The smoaking hills with conscious fear,
Shall own their awful Maker near,

While thy keen pointed lightnings Fly,
Like flaming arrows through the sky,
My foes dispers'd shall rise no more,
Nor dare the terrors of thy power.

O let thy potent arm controul
These threatening waves that round me roll,
These sons of vanity that rise,
With fraudful hands and impious lies.

Then shall thy name new songs inspire,
And wake to joy the sounding lyre,
And every tuneful string shall raise
In various notes, my grateful praise.

'Tis power divine, 'tis God alone,
Whom kings preserv'd in dangers, own;
Who saves, in war's tumultuous strife,
From raging swords his servant's life.

O Lord, thy saving power oppose
To these invading threatening foes;
These strangers to thy sacred laws,
Whose boast; is vain, and false their cause.

Then shall our sons beneath thy care,
Grow up like plants erect and fair;
Our daughters shall like pillars rise,
Where royal buildings charm the eyes.

Then plenty shall our stores increase,
Plenty, the lovely child of peace;
The fold its fleecy wealth shall yield,
And pour its thousands o'er the field.

The well-fed ox shall then afford
His cheerful labours to his lord;
No more shall cruel plunder reign,
Nor want nor misery complain.

O happy people! favour'd state!
Whom such peculiar blessings wait;
Happy! who on the Lord depend,
Their God, their guardian, and their friend,