LET God, the God of battle, rise,
And scatter his proud enemies :
O let them flee before his face,
Like smoke which driving tempests
chase;
As wax dissolves with scorching fire,
So perish in his burning ire.
But let the just with joy abound;
In joyful songs his praise resound,
Who, riding on the rolling spheres,
The name of great Jehovah bears.
Before his face your joys express,
A father to the fatherless;
He wipes the tears from widows' eyes,
The single plants in families;
Enlarging those who late were bound,
While rebels starve on thirsty ground.
When he our numerous army led,
And march'd through deserts full of
dread,
Heav'n melted, and earth's centre shook, With his majestic presence struck.
When Israel's God in clouds came down,
High Sinai bow'd his trembling crown;
He, in th' approach of meagre dearth,
With showers refresh'd the fainting
earth.
Where his own flocks in safety fed
The needy unto plenty led.
By him we conquer.-Virgins sing
Our victories, and timbrels ring:
He kings with their vast armies foils,
While women share their wealthy spoils.
When he the kings had overthrown,
Our land like snowy Salmon shone.
God's mountain Bashan's mount tran-
scends,
Though he his many heads extends.
Why boast ye so, ye meaner hills?
God with his glory Zion fills,
This his beloved residence,
Nor ever will depart from hence.
His chariots twenty thousand were,
Which myriads of angels bear,
He in the midst, as when he crown'd
High Sinai's sanctifièd ground.
Lord, thou hast raised thyself on high,
And captive led captivity.
O praised be the God of Gods,
Who with his daily blessings loads;
The God of our salvation,
On whom our hopes depend alone;
The controverse of life and death
Is arbitrated by his breath.
Thus spoke Jehovah: Jacob's seed
I will from Bashan bring again,
And through the bottom of the main,
That dogs may lap their enemies blood,
And they wade through a crimson
flood.
We, in thy sanctuary late,
My God, my King, beheld thy state;
The sacred singers march'd before,
Who instruments of music bore,
In order follow'd-every maid
Upon her pleasant timbrel play'd.
His praise in your assemblies sing,
You who from Israel's fountain spring,
Nor little Benjamin alone,
But Judah, from his mountain throne;
The far-removed Zebulon,
And Naphtali, that borders on
Old Jordan, where his stream dilates,
Join'd all their powers and potentates.
For us his wingèd soldiers fought; Lord, strengthen what thy hand hath wrought!
He that supports a diadem
To thee, divine Jerusalem!
Shall in devotion treasure bring,
To build the temple of his King.
Far off from sun-burnt Meroè,
From falling Nilus, from the sea
Which beasts on the Egyptian shore,
Shall princes come, and here adore.
Ye kingdoms through the world re-
nown'd,
Sing to the Lord, his praise resound;
He who heaven's upper heaven bestrides,
And on her agèd shoulders rides;
Whose voice the clouds asunder rends,
In thunder terrible descends.
O praise his strength whose majesty
In Israel shines-his power on high!
He from his sanctuary throws
A trembling horror on his foes,
While us his power and strength in-
vest;
O Israel, praise the ever-blest!
GEORGE SANDYS (1577-1644).
"SAVE me, O God; the swelling floods "Break in upon my soul:
"I sink, and sorrows o'er my head, "Like mighty waters roll.
"I cry till all my voice be gone;
"In tears I waste the day:
"My God, behold my longing eyes,
"And shorten thy delay.
'They hate my soul without a cause,
"And still their number grows,
"More than the hairs upon my head,
“And mighty are my foes.
"'Twas then I paid that dreadful debt, "That men could never pay; "And gave those honours to thy law, "Which sinners took away."
Thus, in the great Messiah's name,
The royal prophet mourns;
Thus he awakes our hearts to grief,
And gives us joy by turns.
"Now shall the saints rejoice, and find "Salvation in my name;
"For I have borne their heavy load "Of sorrow, pain and shame.
"Grief, like a garment, clothed me round,
"And sackcloth was my dress, "While I procured for naked souls, "A robe of righteousness.
"Amongst my brethren and the Jews "I like a stranger stood, "And bore their vile reproach, to bring "The Gentiles near to God.
"I came in sinful mortals' stead, "To do my Father's will; "Yet when I cleansed my Father's house,
"They scandalized my zeal.
"My fastings and my holy groans, "Were made the drunkard's song; "But God, from his celestial throne, "Heard my complaining tongue.
"He saved me from the dreadful deep, "Nor let my soul be drowned; "He raised and fixed my sinking feet, "On well-established ground.
"'Twas in a most accepted hour, "My prayer arose on high; "And for my sake, my God shall hear "The dying sinner's cry."
Now let our lips with holy fear
And mournful pleasure, sing
The sufferings of our great High Priest,
The sorrows of our King.
He sinks in floods of deep distress;
How high the waters rise!
While to his heavenly Father's ear
He send perpetual cries.
"Hear me, O Lord, and save thy Son, "Nor hide thy shining face; "Why should thy favourite look like one, "Forsaken of thy grace?
"With rage they persecute the man, "Who groans beneath thy wound; "While for a sacrifice I pour
"My life upon the ground.
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