PSALM CXXXV.

George Burgess

Oh, praise the Lord! His glory sing,
All ye that stand and wait
Within the courts of God our King,
Within his temple gate.

Oh, praise the Lord! The Lord is kind,
The Lord's great name is dear,
In his own Jacob's love enshrin'd,
In Israel's love and fear.

For, us the Lord our Maker chose,
And taught our hearts to own,
How high his throne in glory glows
O'er ev'ry idol throne.

The Lord is great: his great decree
The wide creation keeps;
The heav'n, the earth, the rolling sea,
The caverns of the deeps.

He lifts the outstretch'd clouds on high.
And show'r and lightning blends;
And from his treasures in the sky
The swift-wing'd tempest sends.

His signs, O Egypt, shook thy coasts,
When all thy firstborn died,
From beast to man, from subject hosts
To Pharaoh's crown of pride.

He march'd o'er nations' cloven pow'rs,
And mighty monarchs slain;
Sihon and Og, and Heshbon's tow'rs,
And Bashan's mountain reign;

Till all the kings of Canaan bled,
From Jordan to the West;
And Israel to his home he led,
His home of promis'd rest.

Thy name, O Lord, endures in light,
While ages downward flow;
For thou wilt judge thy people's right,
And pity all their woe.

The heathen gods are gods of gold;
Or silver, fashion'd fair:
Man gave them silent lips and cold,
That mock their vot'ry's pray'r;

Man gave them ears that naught can hear,
And eyes that naught can view,
And mouths, but breath or accent ne'er
Or spoke or murmur'd through.

And dull like them and dead are they,
Who loud their praises tell,
And trust the gods of gold or clay,
Themselves have fram'd so well.

O house of Israel, bless your King,
And praise that name divine:
O house of Aaron, haste and bring
Your praises to his shrine:

O house of Levi, strike the chord,
His holy song to raise:
O ye that fear him, bless the Lord,
And utter all his praise.

Oh, bless the Lord from Sion's walls,
The Lord who reigns above,
Yet deigns to dwell in Salem's halls;
Bless ye the Lord of love.