I. God is our Refuge in Distress,
Our string Defence and Armour,
He's present, when we're comfortless,
In Storms he is our Harbour;
Th' infernal Enemy
Look! how enrag'd is he!
He now exerts his Force
To stop the Gospel-Course;
Who can withstand the Tyrant?
II. All human Power is but dust;
Our Strength an idle Story:
The Valiant Man, in whom we trust,
Is CHRIST, the Son of Glory.
He is the Conquerour,
Vested with sov'reign Pow'r.
The Lord both Great and Good,
The only living god,
Gains us the Field of Battle.
III. If all the Devl's shou'd wage the War,
In Order to destroy us,
They should not once put us in Fear;
The Vict'ry wou'd be joyous.
We dare the Prince of Hell;
With Fury let him swell;
He cannot hurt one Hair;
We shall escape the Snare;
CHRIST"S single Word can rout him.
IV. His Word puts all our Foes to Flight;
With Shame they are confounded;
For CHRIST instructs our Hands to fight;
His Spirit is unbounded:
Tho' we shou'd lose our Lives,
Fame, Children, Goods and Wives,
Destroy Hell what it can,
'Twill find but little Gain,
God's Kingdom is our Portion.
Source: Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #138