The Psalms of David ‎#83

83. Hold not thy peace, O Lord, our God!

1 Hold not thy peace, O Lord, our God!
Do thou no longer silent be;
Nor with consenting quiet looks
Our dreadful ruin calmly see.

2 For lo! the tumults of thy foes
O'er all the land begin to spread;
And those who hate thy saints and thee,
Lift up with joy their threat'ning head.

3 Against thy zealous people Lord!
They all, with treachery, combine;
And to destroy thy chosen race
In secret lay, their close design.

4 "Come let us cut them off, they say,
"Let us their nation quite deface;
"That no remembrance, may henceforth
"Remain of Israel's hated race."

5 Against thee, and thy peoples peace,
Thus they consult with one consent,
And different nations jointly leagu'd,
Their common spite and malice vent.

6 The Ishmaelites that dwell in tents,
With warlike Edom's forces join'd,
And Moab's sons, our ruin seek
With Hagar's num'rous race combin'd.

7 Proud Ammon's offspring, Gebal too
With daring Amalek conspire:
The lords of Palestine, and all
The haughty sons of wealthy Tyre.

8 All those for their secure ally,
The strong Assyrian king have got;
Who with a pow'rful army, means
To aid th' incestuous race of Lot.

Part II.

9 But let such Vvengeance come to them,
As once to wicked Midian came,
To Jabin and proud Sisera,
At bloody Kishon's fatal stream:

10 When thy right hand their num'rous host,
Near Endor, did with fear confound,
And left their mangled carcasses,
Manure, to feed the hungry ground.

11 Let all their mighty men the fate
Of hapless Zeb and Oreb share;
Of Zeba and Salmana, so
Let all their boasting princes fare;

12 Who with the same design inspir'd,
Thus with a vain assurance spake,
"In firm possession, for ourselves,
"Let us by force God's houses take."

13 To ruin let them hasten on,
Like wheels which downward swiftly move;
Or, like the chaff, before the wind,
Let all their scatter'd forces prove:

14 As flames consume the wood, or heath
That on the parched mountains grows;
So let thy fierce devouring wrath,
With Terror strike thy haughty foes.

8 Lord, shroud their faces with disgrace,
And make them own thy glorious name,
Or else confound those harden'd hearts,
Which, gentler means will not reclaim.

9 So shall the world, with one consent
Confess that thou, whose name alone,
Jehovah is, o'er all the earth,
Hast rais'd thy just and lofty throne.

Text Information

• First Line: Hold not thy peace, O Lord, our God!
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1789
• Scripture:
  Psalm 83

Tune Information

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