Psalm 78
Words: Isaac Watts
Providences of God recorded
1 Let children hear the mighty deeds
Which God performed of old,
Which in our younger years we saw,
And which our fathers told.
2 He bids us make his glories known,
His works of power and grace;
And we'll convey his wonders down
Through ev'ry rising race.
3 Our lips shall tell them to our sons,
And they again to theirs;
That generations yet unborn
May teach them to their heirs.
4 Thus shall they learn in God alone
Their hope securely stands;
That they may ne'er forget his works,
But practice his commands.
PART 2.
Israel's rebellion and punishment.
1 O what a stiff rebellious house
Was Jacob's ancient race!
False to their own most solemn vows,
And to their Maker's grace.
2 They broke the cov'nant of his love,
And did his laws despise;
Forgot the works he wrought to prove
His power before their eyes.
3 They saw the plagues on Egypt light
From his revenging hand;
What dreadful tokens of his might
Spread o'er the stubborn land!
4 They saw him cleave the mighty sea,
And marched in safety through,
With wat'ry walls to guard their way,
Till they had 'scaped the foe.
5 A wondrous pillar marked the road,
Composed of shade and light;
By day it proved a shelt'ring cloud,
A leading fire by night.
6 He from the rock their thirst supplied;
The gushing waters fell,
And ran in rivers by their side,
A constant miracle.
7 Yet they provoked the Lord most High,
And dared distrust his hand:
"Can he with bread our host supply
Amidst this desert land?"
8 The Lord with indignation heard,
And caused his wrath to flame;
His terrors ever stand prepared
To vindicate his name.
PART 3.
The punishment of luxury and intemperance.
1 When Isr'el sins, the Lord reproves
And fills their hearts with dread;
Yet he forgives the men he loves,
And sends them heav'nly bread.
2 He fed them with a lib'ral hand,
And made his treasures known;
He gave the midnight clouds command
To pour provision down.
3 The manna, like a morning shower,
Lay thick around their feet;
The corn of heav'n, so light, so pure,
As though 'twere angels' meat.
4 But they in murm'ring language said,
"Manna is all our feast;
We loathe this light, this airy bread;
We must have flesh to taste."
5 "Ye shall have flesh to please your lust,"
The Lord in wrath replied,
And sent them quails like sand or dust,
Heaped up from side to side.
6 He gave them all their own desire,
And greedy as they fed,
His vengeance burnt with secret fire,
And smote the rebels dead.
7 When some were slain, the rest returned
And sought the Lord with tears;
Under the rod they feared and mourned,
But soon forgot their fears.
8 Oft he chastised and still forgave,
Till, by his gracious hand,
The nation he resolved to save
Possessed the promised land.
v. 8, &c. PART 4.
Backsliding and forgiveness; or, Sin punished and saints saved,
1 Great God, how oft did Isr'el prove
By turns thine anger and thy love!
There in a glass our hearts may see
How fickle and how false they be.
2 How soon the faithless Jews forgot
The dreadful wonders God had wrought!
Then they provoke him to his face,
Nor fear his power, nor trust his grace.
3 The Lord consumed their years in pain,
And made their travels long and vain;
A tedious march through unknown ways
Wore out their strength, and spent their days.
4 Oft when they saw their brethren slain
They mourned, and sought the Lord again;
Called him the Rock of their abode,
Their high Redeemer, and their God.
5 Their prayers and vows before him rise
As flatt'ring words or solemn lies,
While their rebellious tempers prove
False to his cov'nant and his love.
6 Yet did his sov'reign grace forgive
The men who not deserved to live;
His anger oft away he turned,
Or else with gentle flame it burned.
7 He saw their flesh was weak and frail,
He saw temptations still prevail;
The God of Abr'am loved them still,
And led them to his holy hill.
