Thee, Lord, my strength, I'll dearly love

1. Thee, Lord, my strength, I'll dearly love.
2. The Lord's my rock, to which I fly;
My fortress strong, where safe I prove;
My Savior from mine enemy:
My God, my powerful aid, from whence
My steady trust securely flows:
My guarding shield, my sure defense,
My tower, above the reach of foes.

3. Depending on thy wonted grace,
O Lord, my prayer I'll make to thee;
(Who worthy art of all our praise,)
So, from my foes, I saved shall be.
4. Amazing sorrows seized my soul,
While death it's terrors round me spread;
As when impetuous torrents rowl,
Ungodly men made me afraid.

5. The cords of hell, a dreadful net,
Entangling me encompassed round;
Death's snares, about me close beset,
And how to escape no way I found.
6. In my distress, to God my prayer,
With mournful voice, I then proffered;
Who, from his throne, bowed down his ear,
And my request, in mercy, heard.

Second Part

7. The solid earth then shook with fear,
And dreadful trembling on it seized:
The hills foundations movéd were,
And shook, for God was sore displeased.
8. From his enraged nostrils rose
Thick clouds of smoke; his mouth out-threw
Devouring fire; in midst of those,
Hot thunder bolts around him flew.

9. He bowed the heavens, and came down,
In solemn pomp marched from his seat;
Darkness, from his imperial throne,
Was spread beneath his royal feet.
10. He on a fiery cherub rode,
That clave with speed the yielding air;
The winds, obsequious to their God,
Him, swift, on strongest pinions, bear.

11. His glory, darkness hid from view;
For his pavilion, mists arise;
He, for a covering, round him threw,
His thick clouds from the nether skies.
12. Before him, brightness he sent out,
His thick clouds, then, in haste retire;
They fell, dissolved, a dismal rout,
In showers of hail, and storms of fire.

13. The Lord, with roaring thunder's noise,
From heaven, the enemy struck with dread;
Th' Almighty spoke with angry voice,
And hail, and fire, the terrors spread.
14. He cast his arrows from the sky,
Which broke the forces of the foe;
His pointed lightnings swiftly fly,
And soon complete their overthrow.

15. Then did the floods new channels wear,
The torn world it's foundations showed;
For, Lord, thy vengeance did appear,
Fierce blasts from thy hot nostrils flowed.

Third Part

16. From high he sent, he seized on me.
He drew me from the waters great.
17. From my strong foe he set me free;
Too strong for me, who me did hate.
18. In my dark day they had o'ercome.
But God sustained me by his might.
19. Changed my close siege for larger room,
Saved me, in whom he took delight.

20. The Lord did my clean hands repay;
And recompense my upright heart.
21. I did not leave thy righteous way;
Nor wickedly from God depart.
22. His judgments all were in my sight;
None of his laws my soul disdained.
23. My heart before him was upright;
And from my darling sin refrained.

24. Therefore the Lord rewarded me
According to my righteousness;
And as he saw my hands were free
From wrong, my griefs did soon redress.
25. "Kind to the kind thou, Lord, wilt prove;
And just to them that justice love.
26. The pure thy purity shall see;
To froward just returns shall be.

27. "Thou wilt the meek afflicted raise;
But haughty looks in dust debase.
28 The Lord will make my lamp shine bright;
And turn my darkness into light."
29. Thus aided, I have broken through,
My numerous foes, an arméd host:
Thus, guarded by my God, I flew,
And scaled their walls, their greatest boast.

30. O God, thy ways are perfect found.
Thy word, O Lord, is thoroughly tried;
Thou, as a shield, wilt them surround,
Whose steadfast hopes on thee abide.

31. "Whom, save Jehovah then alone,
Shall we, as God, adoring own?
What rock of strength shall us defend,
But God? who is our constant friend."
32. 'Tis God that girds me with his might;
And brings to pass my just intent.
33. Makes my feet swift, as hinds, in flight,
And strong to climb the steep ascent.

34. My hands he well instructed how
To manage war, with dexterous skill;
My strengthened arm can break the bow,
That's made of well wrought tempered steel.

35. Thou gav'st me the protecting shield
Of thy salvation, in my strait;
Thy right-hand still hath me upheld.
Thy gentleness hath made me great.

36. My straitened steps thou hast enlarged;
My feet ne'er slipped, nor were destroyed.
37. My foes I hot pursued, o'ercharged,
And turned not till they were destroyed.
38. I gave them such a total rout,
Their vanquished force no more made head;
They prostrate fell, all round about,
And, slain, beneath my Feet were spread.

39. For thou hast girded me with strength,
The heat of battle to sustain;
Thou hast subdued my foes at length,
And made them stoop to my just reign.
40. To me, mine enemy's necks, he gave,
To stay my haters on the spot.
41. They cried for help, but none did save;
Yes, to the Lord, who answered not.

42. Then small as dust, before the wind,
Their mighty numerous troops I beat,
Their corpse, with great contempt designed,
I cast, as mire, in the open street.

Fifth Part

43. Fierce strifes, and factions, thou hast laid;
And made the rebels own my sway;
O'er neighboring heathen placed me head,
And realms unknown shall me obey.
44. Soon as they hear, they'll homage pay:
Strangers submiss shall prostrate lie.
45. They that resist shall melt away;
And frightened from their coverts fly.

46. The Lord lives; let my Rock be blessed;
Exalted be my Savior God.
47. God's vengeance does my foes arrest,
Subjects whole nations to my rod.
48. Thou sav'dst me from mine enemies,
Raised me, and wast my sure defense,
From all that up against me rise;
E'en from the man of violence.

49. Therefore, O Lord, my grateful heart
And voice shall celebrate thy fame:
To heathen lands thy acts impart,
And praises sing unto thy name.
50. God great deliverance gives his king;
Shows his anointed signal grace;
Which evermore afresh shall spring.
To David and his promised race.

A New Version of the Psalms of David, 1752