God's care of his People, and Punishment of Persecutors

My trust is in my heav'nly Friend

Author: Isaac Watts
Tune: NUN DANKET ALL (Crüger 16512)
Published in 46 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 My trust is in my heav'nly friend,
My hope in thee my God;
Rise and my helpless life defend,
From those that seek my blood.

2 With insolence and fury they,
My soul to pieces tear,
As hungry lions rend the prey
When no deliverer’s near.

3 If I my pride provok'd them first,
Or once abus'd my foe,
Then let them tread my life to dust,
And lay mine honour low.

4 If there be malice found in me,
I know thy piercing eyes;
I should not dare appeal to thee,
Nor ask my God to rise.

5 Arise, my God, lift up thy hand,
Their pride and pow'r control;
Awake to judgment, and command
Deliv'rance for my soul.

6 Let sinners and their wicked rage
Be humbled to the dust;
Shall not the God of truth engage
To vindicate the just?

7 He knows the heart, he tries the reins,
He will defend th’upright:
His sharpest arrows he ordains
Against the sons of spite.

8 Tho' leagu'd in guile their malice spread,
A snare before my way:
Their mischiefs on their impious head,
His vengeance shall repay.

9 That cruel persecuting race
Must feel his dreadful sword;
Awake my soul, and praise the grace
And justice of the Lord.

Source: Church Hymn Book: consisting of newly composed hymns with the addition of hymns and psalms, from other authors, carefully adapted for the use of public worship, and many other occasions (1st ed.) #P.VII

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 >

Text Information

First Line: My trust is in my heav'nly Friend
Title: God's care of his People, and Punishment of Persecutors
Author: Isaac Watts
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

NUN DANKET ALL (Crüger 16512)

Composed by Johann Crüger (PHH 42) as a setting for Paul Gerhardt's "Nun danket all’ und bringet Ehr," GRÄFENBERG was first published in the 1647 edition of Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica. The tune is arbitrarily named after a water-cure spa in Silesia, Austria, which became famous in the 1820…

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The Cyber Hymnal #4382
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The Cyber Hymnal #4382

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