Scripture Verse

Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalm 3:2–3

Introduction

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James Montgomery (1771–1854)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: James Mont­go­me­ry, Songs of Zi­on (Lon­don: Long­man, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1822).

Music: Old Sax­ony Ger­man cho­rale. Har­mon­ized by Will­iam H. Hav­er­gal (1793–1870) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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William H. Havergal (1793–1870)

Lyrics

The tempt­er to my soul hath said,
There is no help in God for thee;
Lord, lift Thou up Thy ser­vant’s head;
My glo­ry, shield, and so­lace be.

Thus to the Lord I raised my cry,
He heard me from His ho­ly hill;
At His com­mand the waves rolled by;
He beck­oned, and the winds were still.

I laid me down, and slept—I woke;
Thou, Lord, my spi­rit didst sus­tain;
Bright from the east the morn­ing broke,
Thy com­forts rose on me again.

I will not fear, though arm­èd throngs
Compass my steps in all their wrath;
Salvation to the Lord be­longs;
His pre­sence guards His peo­ple’s path.