Scripture Verse

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my supplication. Psalm 55:1

Introduction

portrait
John B. Dykes (1823–1876)

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 148.

Music: Vox Di­lec­ti John B. Dykes, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

Lyrics

Jehovah, to my prayer give ear,
Nor hide Thee from my cry;
Attend my sad complaint, and hear
My restless moan and sigh.
My enemies lift up their voice,
The violent oppress;
To do me wrong my foes rejoice,
And love my soul’s distress.

Sore pained in heart I find no ease,
Death’s terrors fill my soul,
Great fear and trembling on me seize,
And horrors o’er me roll.
O had I wings, I sigh and say,
Like some swift dove to roam,
Then I would hasten far away
And a find a peaceful home.

Lo, wandering far, my rest would be
In some lone desert waste;
I from the stormy wind would flee,
And to a shelter haste.
O Lord, their malice recompense
Their wicked tongues confound,
For in the city violence
And bitter strife abound.

They walk her walls both night and day,
Within all vices meet;
Oppression, fraud and crime hold sway,
Nor leave the crowded street.
No foreign foe provokes alarm,
But enemies within;
May God destroy their power to harm
And recompense their sin.