Scripture Verse

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalm 91:1-4

Introduction

portrait
Henry Carey (1687–1743)

Words: A New Ver­sion of the Psalms of Da­vid, by Na­hum Tate & Ni­cho­las Bra­dy, 1698.

Music: Car­ey’s Sur­rey Hen­ry Car­ey, 1723. Har­mo­ny from The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 491 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

illustration
Nahum Tate (1652–1715)

Lyrics

He that has God his guardian made,
Shall, under the Almighty’s shade,
Secure and undisturbed abide.
Thus to my soul of Him I’ll say,
He is my fortress and my stay,
My God, in whom I will confide.

His tender love and watchful care
Shall free thee from the fowler’s snare,
And from the noisome pestilence:
He over thee His wings shall spread,
And cover thy unguarded head;
His truth shall be thy strong defense.

No terrors that surprise by night
Shall thy undaunted courage fright,
Nor deadly shafts that fly by day;
Nor plague of unknown rise, that kills
In darkness, nor infectious ills
That in the hottest season slay.

A thousand at thy side shall die,
At thy right hand ten thousand lie,
While thy firm health untouched remains;
Thou only shalt look on and see
The wicked’s dismal tragedy,
And count the sinner’s mournful gains.

Because, with well-placed confidence,
Thou mak’st the Lord thy sure defense,
And on the highest dost rely;
Therefore no ill shall thee befall,
Nor to thy healthful dwelling shall
Any infectious plague draw nigh.

For He, throughout thy happy days,
To keep thee safe in all thy ways
Shall give His angels strict commands;
And they, lest thou should’st chance to meet
With some rough stone to wound thy feet
Shall bear thee safely in their hands.

Dragons and asps, that thirst for blood,
And lions roaring for their food,
Beneath his conquering feet shall lie;
Because he loved and honored Me,
Therefore, says God, I’ll set him free,
And fix his glo­ri­ous throne on high.

He’ll call; I’ll answer, when he calls,
And rescue him when ill befalls;
Increase his honor and his wealth:
And when with undisturbed content
His long and happy life is spent,
His end I’ll crown with saving health.