Before Messiah's Presence Meet

Representative Text

1 Before Messiah’s presence meet
The chiefs, at whose imperial feet
Arabia’s far-divided shores
Prolific spread the richest stores.

2 See kings from Tarshish and each isle,
Their presents bring with willing toil;
Each prince to Him shall homage pay,
Each nation own His equal sway.

3 He, when the helpless poor shall cry,
Shall hear propitious from on high,
Health to their fainting souls convey,
And challenge from the grave its prey.

4 Nor fraud, nor rapine’s iron hand
Shall dare to touch the pious band;
For sacred is their blood, and high
Its price in His paternal eye.

5 Long shall He live, and Sheba’s gold
In tributary heaps behold
Displayed, while crowds shall suppliant bow,
And thankful pay their daily vow.


Source: The Cyber Hymnal #8182

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Author: James Merrick

Merrick, James , M.A., was born in 1720, and educated at Oxford, where he became a Fellow of Trinity College. He entered Holy Orders, but his health would not admit of parish work. He died at Reading, 1769. His publications include:— (1) Messiah, a Divine Essay. Humbly dedicated to the Reverend the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and the Visitors of the Free School in Reading. By James Merrick, Ætat. 14, Senior Scholar of the School at their last Terminal Visitation, the 7th of October, 1734. Reading. (2) The Destruction of Troy. Translated from the Greek of Tryphiodorus into English Verse, with Notes, &c. 1742. (3) Poems on Sacred Subjects. Oxford . 1763. (4) The Psalms of David Translated or Paraphrased in English Verse… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: Before Messiah’s presence meet
Title: Before Messiah's Presence Meet
Author: James Merrick
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Tune

HAMBURG

Lowell Mason (PHH 96) composed HAMBURG (named after the German city) in 1824. The tune was published in the 1825 edition of Mason's Handel and Haydn Society Collection of Church Music. Mason indicated that the tune was based on a chant in the first Gregorian tone. HAMBURG is a very simple tune with…

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The Cyber Hymnal #8182
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The Cyber Hymnal #8182

The Cyber Hymnal #8182
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