1 O render thanks to God above,
The fountain of eternal love;
Whose mercy firm through ages past
Has stood, and shall for ever last.
2 Who can his mighty deeds express,
Not only vast, but numberless?
What mortal eloquence can raise
His Tribute of immortal praise?
3 Happy are they, and only they,
Who from thy judgments never stray:
Who know what's right; nor only so,
But always practice what they know.
4 Extend to me that favour, Lord,
Thou to thy chosen dost afford;
When thou return'st to set them free,
Let thy salvation visit me.
5 O may I worthy prove to see
Thy saints in full prosperity;
That I the joyful choir may join,
And count thy people's triumph mine.
6 But ah! can we expect such grace,
Of parents vile the viler race;
Who their misdeeds have acted o'er,
And with new crimes increas'd the score.
7 Ingrateful, they no longer thought
On all his works in Egypt wrought;
The Red sea they no sooner view'd,
But they their base distrust renewed.
8 Yet he, to vindicate his name,
Once more to their deliv'rance came,
To make his sov'reign pow'r be known,
That he is God, and he alone.
9 To right and left, at his command,
The prating deep disclos'd her sand;
Where firm and dry the passage lay,
As through some parch'd and desert way.
10 Thus rescu'd from their foes they were,
Who closely press'd upon their rear;
Whose rage pursu'd them to those waves,
That prov'd the rash pursuers' graves.
11 The wat'ry mountains sudden fall
O'erwhelm'd proud Pharaoh, host and all.
This proof did stupid Isr'el move
To own God's truth, and praise his love.
Part II.
12 To God, the great, the ever blest,
Let songs of honour be addrest;
His mercy firm for ever stands;
Give him the thanks his love demands.
13 Who knows the wonders of thy ways?
Who shall fulfil thy boundless praise?
Blest are the souls that fear thee still,
And pay their duty to thy will.
14 Remember what thy mercy did
For Jacob's race, thy chosen seed;
And with the same salvation bless
The meanest suppliant of thy grace.
15 Oh may I see thy tribes rejoice,
And aid their triumphs with my voice:
This is my glory, Lord, to be
Join'd to thy saints, and near to thee.
Part III.
16 God of eternal love,
How fickle are our ways!
And yet how oft did Isr'el prove
Thy constancy of grace!
17 They saw thy wonders wrought,
And then thy praise they sung;
But soon thy works of pow'r forgot,
And murmur'd with their tongue.
18 Now they believe his word,
While rocks with rivers flow;
Now with their lusts provoke the Lord,
And he reduc'd them low.
19 Yet when they mourn'd their faults,
He harken'd to their groans;
Brought his own cov'nant to his thoughts,
And call'd them still his sons.
20 Their names were in his book,
He sav'd them from their foes:
Oft he chastis'd, but ne'er forsook
The people that he chose.
21 Let Isr'el bless the Lord,
Who lov'd their ancient race;
And christians join the solemn word,
Amen to all the praise.
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