The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook ‎#P109

P109. O thou the God of all my praise

1 O thou the God of all my praise,
do thou not hold thy peace;
2 for mouths of wicked men to speak
against me do not cease:
the mouths of vile deceitful men
against me opened be;
and with a false and lying tongue
they have accused me.

3 They did beset me round with words
of hatred and of spite;
and, though to them no cause I gave,
against me they did fight.
4 They for my love became my foes,
I set myself to pray.
5 Evil for good, hatred for love,
to me they did repay.

6 Set thou the wicked over him;
and upon his right hand
against him in the judgment let
the adversary stand.
7 And when by thee he shall be judged,
let him condemned be;
and let his prayer sin become,
when he shall call on thee.

8 Few be his days, and in his room
his charge another take.
9 His children let be fatherless,
his wife a widow make.
10 His children let be vagabonds,
and beg continually;
and from their places desolate
seek bread for their supply.

11 Let covetous extortioners
catch all he hath away:
of all for which he laboured hath
let strangers make a prey.
12 Let there be none to pity him,
let there be none at all
that on his children fatherless
will let his mercy fall.

13 Let his posterity from earth
cut off for ever be,
and in the next age let their name
be blotted out by thee.
14 Let God his father’s wickedness
still to remembrance call;
and never let his mother’s sin
be blotted out at all.

15 But let them all before the Lord
appear continually,
that he may wholly from the earth
cut off their memory.
16 Because he mercy minded not,
but persecuted still
the poor and needy, that he might
the broken-hearted kill.

17 As he in cursing pleasure took,
so doth it to him fall;
as he delighted not to bless,
he is not blest at all.
18 As cursing he like clothes puts on,
into his bowels so,
like water, and into his bones,
like oil, it down doth go.

19 Like to the garment let it be
which doth himself array,
and for a girdle, wherewith he
is girt about alway.
20 From God let this be their reward
that enemies are to me,
and their reward that speak against
my soul maliciously.

21 But for thine own name’s sake, deal thou,
O God the Lord, with me:
Since good thy loving-kindness is,
from trouble set me free.
22 For I am poor and indigent,
afflicted sore am I,
my heart within me also is
wounded exceedingly.

23 I pass like a declining shade,
I'm like the locust tossed:
24 my knees through fasting weakened are,
my flesh hath fatness lost.
25 I also am a vile reproach
unto them made to be;
and they that did upon me look
do shake their heads at me.

26 O thou, who art the Lord my God,
an helper be to me;
and, for thy tender mercy’s sake,
do thou my Saviour be.
27 That thereby they may know that this
is thy almighty hand;
and that thou, Lord, hast done the same
they may well understand.

28 Although they curse with spite, yet, Lord,
bless thou with loving voice:
let them ashamed be when they rise;
thy servant let rejoice.
29 Let thou mine adversaries fierce
with shame be clothed all;
and, as a mantle, over them
let their confusion fall.

30 But as for me, I with my mouth
will greatly praise the Lord;
and I among the multitude
his praises will record.
31 For at the right hand of the poor
shall stand the Lord most high,
to save him from all those that would
condemn his soul to die.

Text Information

• First Line: O thou the God of all my praise
• Meter: CM
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2004
• Scripture:
  Psalm 109

Tune Information

• Name: MARTYRS
• Harmonizer: David Evans, 1874-1948
• Meter: CM
• Key: d minor or modal
• Source: Scottish Psalter, 1615 (1635 rhythm)