Psalm 66
Words: Isaac Watts
Part 1. Governing power and goodness; or, Our graces tried by afflictions.
1 Sing, all ye nations, to the Lord,
Sing with a joyful noise;
With melody of sound record
His honors and your joys.
2 Say to the Power that shakes the sky,
"How terrible art thou!
Sinners before thy presence fly,
Or at thy feet they bow.'
3 Come, see the wonders of our God,
How glorious are his ways!
In Moses' hand he puts his rod,
And cleaves the frighted seas.
4 He made the ebbing channel dry,
While Isr'el passed the flood;
There did the church begin their joy,
And triumph in their God.]
5 He rules by his resistless might:
Will rebel mortals dare
Provoke th' Eternal to the fight,
And tempt that dreadful war?
6 O bless our God, and never cease;
Ye saints, fulfill his praise;
He keeps our life, maintains our peace,
And guides our doubtful ways.
7 Lord, thou hast proved our suff'ring souls,
To make our graces shine;
So silver bears the burning coals,
The metal to refine.
8 Through wat'ry deeps, and fiery ways,
We march at thy command;
Led to possess the promised place
By thine unerring hand.
Part 2. v. 18--20. Praise to God for hearing prayer.
1 Now shall my solemn vows be paid
To that Almighty Power,
That heard the long requests I made
In my distressful hour.
2 My lips and cheerful heart prepare
To make his mercies known;
Come, ye that fear my God, and hear
The wonders he has done.
3 When on my head huge sorrows fell,
I sought his heav'nly aid;
He saved my sinking soul from hell,
And death's eternal shade.
4 If sin lay covered in my heart,
While prayer employed my tongue,
The Lord had shown me no regard,
Nor I his praises sung.
5 But God (his name be ever blessed)
Has set my spirit free;
Nor turned from him my poor request,
Nor turned his heart from me.
