Forever blest be God the Lord

1 For ever bless'd be God the Lord,
Who does his needful aid impart;
At once both strength and skill affords
To wield my arms with warlike art.

2 His goodness is my fort and tow'r,
My strong deliv'rance and my shield;
In him I trust, whose matchless pow'r
Makes to my sway fierce nations yield.

3 Lord, what's in man that thou should'st love
Such tender care of him to take?
What in his offspring could thee move
Such great account of him to make?

4 The life of man does quickly fade,
His thoughts but empty are and vain;
His days are like a flying shade,
Of whose short stay no signs remain.

Part II.

5 In solemn state, O God, descend,
Whilst heav'n its lofty head inclines;
The smoking hills asunder rend,
Of thy approach the awful signs.

6 Discharge thy dreadful lightning round,
And make thy scatter'd foes retreat;
Them with thy pointed arrows wound,
And their destruction soon complete.

7 Do thou, O Lord, from heav'n engage
Thy boundless pow'r our foes to quell;
And snatch me from the stormy rage
Of threat'ning waves that proudly swell.

8 Fight thou against my foreign foes,
Who utter speeches false and vain;
Who, though in solemn leagues they close,
Their sworn engagements ne'er maintain.

9 So we to thee, O King of kings,
In new-made hymns my voice will raise,
And instruments of various strings
Shall help me thus to sing thy praise.

10 "God to our rulers aid affords,
"To them his sure salvation sends;
"'Tis He that from the murd'ring sword,
"His faithful servants still defends."

11 Fight thou against my foreign foes,
Who utter speeches false and vain;
Who, though in solemn leagues they close,
Their sworn engagements ne'er maintain.

Part III.

12 Happy the city, where their sons,
Like pillars round a palace set,
And daughters bright as polish'd stones
Give strength and beauty to the state.

13 Happy the land in culture dress'd,
Whose flocks and corn have large increase;
Where men securely work or rest,
Nor sons of plunder break their peace.

9 Happy the nation thus endow'd,
But more divinely blest are those,
On whom the all-sufficient God
Himself with all his grace bestows.

Source: The Psalms of David: with hymns and spiritual songs: also, the catechism, confession of faith, and liturgy of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands #144