Almighty God appear and save

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Almighty God appear and save

Alterer: Joel Barlow; Author: Isaac Watts
Published in 12 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Almighty God appear and save!
For vice and vanity prevail:
The godly perish in the grave,
The just depart, the faithful fail.

2 The whole discourse, when crouds are met,
Is fill'd with trifles loose and vain;
Their lips are flattery and deceit,
And their proud language is profane.

3 But lips that with deceit abound,
Shall not maintain their triumph long:
The God of vengeance will confound
The flattering and blaspheming tongue.

4 "Yet shall our words be free," they cry;
"Our tongues shall be controul'd by none:
Where is the Lord, will ask us why?
Or say, our lips are not our own?"

5 The Lord, who sees the poor opprest,
And hears th' oppressor's haughty strain,
Will rise to give his children rest,
Nor shall they trust his word in vain.

6 Thy word, O Lord, tho' often try'd,
Void of deceit shall still appear;
Not silver, sev'n times purify'd
From dross and mixture, shines so clear.

7 Thy grace shall in the darkest hour
Defend the from danger and surprise;
Tho' when the vilest men have pow'r,
On every side oppressors rise.

Source: Psalms: carefully suited to the Christian worship in the United States of America: being an improvement of the old versions of the Psalms of David #12a

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Alterer: Joel Barlow

Barlow, Joel, born at Reading, Connecticut, 1755 [sic], graduated at Yale 1778, and died near Cracow, Poland, 1812, He was well known as an author and politician during and after the American Revolution. His publications include Hasty Pudding; Columbia, &c. In 1785, at the request of the (Congregational) General Association of Connecticut, he corrected and enlarged Dr. Watts's Psalms, supplying those omitted by Watts, and adapting the whole to American thought and circumstances. This work, published in 1786, went through various editions, and, although officially superseded by Dwight in 1800, it continued to be issued for many years after. Its title is somewhat curious as setting forth its design. It reads:— Psalms carefully suited to the… Go to person page >

Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Almighty God appear and save
Author:	Isaac Watts
Alterer:	Joel Barlow
Source:	From "Lord, if thou dost not soon appear"
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain