Scripture Verse

Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. Psalm 12:1–2

Introduction

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Benjamin H. Kennedy (1804–1889)

Words: Ben­ja­min H. Ken­ne­dy, Hym­no­lo­gia Chris­ti­ana (Lon­don: Long­man, Green, Long­man, Ro­berts & Green, 1863), num­ber 3.

Music: Llef Grif­fith H. Jones, in Ga­mau Mawl, by Da­vid Jen­kins, 1890 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Griffith H. Jones (1849–1919)

Lyrics

How long for­got­ten, Lord, by Thee,
Forbidden still Thy face to see,
Shall I, by dai­ly grief dis­tressed,
Take coun­sel with my doubt­ful breast?

How long amidst tri­um­phant foes,
Who mock my ago­niz­ing woes,
To Hea­ven’s high throne must I com­plain
And seek the Lord my God in vain?

Consider, Lord, and hear my cries,
Pour light up­on my trou­bled eyes,
Lest, yield­ing up my wea­ry breath,
I sleep the dream­less sleep of death.

Lest o’er my fall the foe re­joice,
And cry with loud ex­ult­ing voice:
Lo where he lies, a tram­pled clod,
Who vain­ly trusted in his God.

But I will ev­er trust Thee, Lord;
My joy is in Thy sav­ing Word:
Thy ten­der mer­cies will I bless,
And sing of all Thy right­eous­ness.