1 In Judah God of old was known;
His name in Israel great;
In Salem stood his holy throne,
And Sion was his seat.
2 Among the praises of his saints,
His dwelling there he chose;
There he receiv'd their just complaints
Against their haughty foes.
3 From Sion went his dreadful word,
And broke the threat'ning spear;
The bow, the arrows, and the sword,
And crush'd th' Assyrian war.
4 What are the earth’s wide kingdoms else
But mighty hills of prey?
The hill on which Jehovah dwells
Is glorious more than they.
5 ’Twas Sion’s king that stopp'd the breath
Of captains and their bands;
The men of might sleep fast in death,
That quells their warlike hands.
6 At thy rebuke, O Jacob’s God,
Both horse and chariot fell:
Who knows the terrors of thy rod!
Thy veng'ance who can tell?
7 What pow'r can stand before thy sight
When once thy wrath appears?
When heav'n shines round with dreadful light,
The earth adores and fears.
8 When God in his own sov'reign ways
Comes down to save the opprest,
The wrath of men shall work his praise,
And he’ll restrain the rest.
[9 Vows to the Lord, and tribute bring,
Ye princes, fear his frown;
His terrors shake the proudest king,
And smite his armies down.
10 The thunder of his sharp rebuke
Our haughty foes shall feel;
For Jacob’s God hath not forsook,
But dwells in Sion still.]