Doctor Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David, to which is added a collection of hymns; the whole applied to the state of the Christian Church in general (3rd ed.) ‎#140b

140b. The Church's Prayer under Affliction; or, the Vineyard of God wasted

1 Great Shepherd of thine Israel,
Who didst between the cherubs dwell,
And lead the tribes, thy chosen sheep,
Safe through the desert and the deep:

2 Thy church is in the desert now,
Shine from on high, and guide us through;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd and sigh no more.

3 Great God, whom heavenly hosts obey,
How long shall we lament and pray?
And wait in vain thy kind return?
How long shall thy fierce anger burn?

4 Instead of wine and cheerful bread,
Thy saints with their own tears are fed;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd and sigh no more.

Pause I.

5 Hast thou not planted with thy hands
A lovely vine in heathen lands?
Did not thy power defend it round,
And heavenly dews enrich the ground?

6 How did the spreading branches shoot,
And bless the nations with the fruit;
But now, dear Lord, look down and see
Thy mourning vine, that lovely tree.

7 Why is her beauty thus defac'd?
Why hast thou laid her fences waste?
Strangers and foes against her join,
And every beast devours the vine.

8 Return, Almighty God, return;
Nor let thy bleeding vineyard mourn:
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd and sigh no more.

Pause II.

9 Lord, when this vine in Canaan grew,
Thou wast its strength and glory too;
Attack'd in vain by all its foes,
Till the fair branch of promise rose.

10 Fair branch, ordain'd of old to shoot
From David’s stock, from Jacob’s root;
Himself a noble vine, and we
The lesser branches of the tree:

11 ’Tis thy own Son; and he shall stand
Girt with thy strength at thy right hand;
Thy first-born Son, adorn'd and blest
With power and grace above the rest.

12 Oh! for his sake attend our cry,
Shine on thy churches lest they die;
Turn us to thee, thy love restore,
We shall be sav'd, and sigh no more.

Text Information

• First Line: Great Shepherd of thine Israel
• Title: The Church's Prayer under Affliction; or, the Vineyard of God wasted
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1786
• Scripture:
  Psalm 80
• Topic: Church: prayer in distress; Persecuted Saints; Persecutors: complained of; Prayer: in church's distress

Tune Information

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