Author: Isaac Watts Hymnal: Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #Ps.23 (1806) Meter: 8.8.8.8 First Line: Lord, if thou dost not soon appear Lyrics:
Lord, if thou dost not soon appear,
Virtue and truth will fly away;
A faithful man amongst us here
Will scarce be found, if thou delay.
The whole discourse, when neighbors meet,
Is filled with trifles loose and vain;
Their lips are flattery and deceit,
And their proud language is profane.
But lips that with deceit abound
Shall not maintain their triumph long;
The God of vengeance will confound
The flattering and blaspheming tongue.
"Yet shall our words be free," they cry;
"Our tongues shall be controlled by none:
Where is the Lord will ask us why?
Or say our lips are not our own?"
The Lord, who sees the poor oppressed,
And hears th' oppressor's haughty strain,
Will rise to give his children rest,
Nor shall they trust his word in vain.
Thy word, O Lord, though often tried,
Void of deceit shall still appear;
Not silver, sev'n times purified
From dross and mixture, shines so clear.
Thy grace shall in the darkest hour
Defend the holy soul from harm;
Though when the vilest men have power,
On every side will sinners swarm.
Topics: Complaint pride, atheism, oppression, etc; Pride and atheism, and oppression punished; Corruption of manners general; Times evil; Atheism practical; Christ his coming, the signs of it; Enemies destroyed; Evil times; Falsehood and oppression, deliverance from them; Flattery and deceit complained of; Hypocrites and hypocrisy; Saints safety in evil times; Signs of Christ's coming; Sins of tongue Scripture: Psalm 12 Languages: English
Psalm 12