The Cyber Hymnal ‎#16462

16462. Why Stand Afar?

1 My God, my God, why me for­sake?
O why to me no an­swer make?
In deep dis­tress I cry, O Lord;
Why stand afar—nor help af­ford?
All day, my God, I cry in vain,
Nor can I in the night re­frain;
But Thou art ho­ly, who dost dwell
Amid the songs of Is­ra­el.

2 Our fa­thers put their trust in Thee,
They trust­ed and Thou didst them free;
To Thee they cried, deliverance came,
They hoped, and were not put to shame.
But I, a worm, as no man prized,
Reproached of men, by all despised;
All shake the head, they mock and gaze,
Each scornful lip contempt betrays.

3 "He trusts in God; let God defend
And save him since He is his friend."
Thou mad’st me first the light to see,
In infant years to hope in Thee.
From birth dependent on Thy power,
Thou art my God from childhood’s hour;
Be not far off, for trouble nears,
And none to give me help appears.

Text Information

• First Line: My God, my God, why me for­sake?
• Title: Why Stand Afar?
• Author: Anonymous
• Meter: LMD
• Language: English
• Source: The Psalter by B. B. Robertson and J. Gally (Philadelphia: Ferguson & Woodburn, 1872)
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: CATHERINE
• Composer: Elizabeth Manford Clark (1872)
• Meter: LMD
• Key: B♭ Major
• Copyright: Public Domain