Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book ‎#136

136. Had God not come, may Israel say

1 HAD God not come, may Israel say,
Had God not come to aid us,
Our enemies before this day
Would surely have dismayed us;
For we are but a handful small
Held in contempt and scorn by all,
All men rise up against us.

2 Their furious wrath, did God permit,
Would surely have consumed us,
And in the deep and yawning pit
With life and limb entombed us;
Like men o'er whom dark waters roll,
The streams had gone e'en o'er our soul,
And mightily o'erwhelmed us.

3 Blest be the Lord, who from the pit
Snatched us, when it was gaping;
Our souls, like birds that break the net,
To the blue sky escaping;
The snare is broken--we are free!
Our help is ever, Lord, in Thee,
The God of earth and heaven.

Text Information

• First Line: Had God not come, may Israel say
• Meter: Iambic 8, 7
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1893
• Topic: Reformation
• Notes: R. Massie, Tr. a.; German: Waer' Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit - Dr. M. Luther, 1525

Tune Information

(No tune information)