Scripture Verse

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say…when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. Psalm 124:1–4

Introduction

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. A song for the 5th of No­vem­ber.

Music: Whit­by Ab­bey R. Frank Leh­man, 1901 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Leh­man (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Had not the Lord, may Is­ra­el say,
Had not the Lord main­tained our side,
When men, to make our lives a prey,
Rose like the swell­ing of the tide.

The swell­ing tide had stopped our breath,
So fierce­ly did the wa­ters roll,
We had been swal­lowed deep in death;
Proud wa­ters had o’er­whelmed our soul.

We leap for joy, we shout and sing,
Who just es­caped the fa­tal stroke;
So flies the bird with cheer­ful wing,
When once the fowl­er’s snare is broke.

For ev­er bless­èd be the Lord,
Who broke the fowl­er’s curs­èd snare,
Who saved us from the mur­der­ing sword,
And made our lives and souls His care.

Our help is in Je­ho­vah’s name,
Who formed the earth and built the skies:
He that up­holds that won­drous frame
Guards His own Church with watch­ful eyes.