Scripture Verse

Blest is he whose trespasses are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1

Introduction

portrait
Edward F. Rimbault
1816–1876

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 83.

Music: Ru­ther­ford Chré­tien d’Ur­han, in Chants Chré­tiens, 1834. Ar­ranged by Ed­ward F. Rim­bault, 1867 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Chrétien d’Urhan (1790–1845)

Lyrics

How blest is he whose tres­pass
Hath free­ly been for­giv’n,
Whose sin is whol­ly co­vered
Before the sight of Heav’n.
But he to whom Je­ho­vah
Will not im­pute his sin,
Who has a guile­less spi­rit,
Whose heart is true with­in.

While I kept guil­ty si­lence
My strength was spent with grief;
Thy hand was hea­vy on me,
My soul found no re­lief;
But when I owned my tres­pass,
My sin hid not from Thee,
When I con­fessed trans­gress­ion,
Then Thou for­gav­est me.

So let the god­ly seek Thee
In times when Thou art near;
No whelm­ing floods shall reach them,
Nor cause their hearts to fear.
In Thee, O Lord, I hide me,
Thou sav­est me from ill,
And songs of Thy sal­va­tion
My heart with rap­ture thrill.

I gra­cious­ly will teach thee
The way that thou shalt go,
And with Mine eye up­on thee
My coun­sel make thee know.
But be ye not un­ru­ly,
Or slow to un­der­stand,
Be not per­verse, but will­ing
To heed My wise com­mand.

The sor­rows of the wick­ed
In num­ber shall abound,
But those that trust Je­ho­vah,
His mer­cy shall sur­round.
Then in the Lord be joy­ful,
In song lift up your voice;
Be glad in God, ye right­eous,
Rejoice, ye saints, re­joice.