Scripture Verse

My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Psalm 81:11–12

Introduction

Words: From Psalm 81, in The Psalms, Newly Pa­ra­phrased for the Ser­vice of the Sanc­tu­ary, by Jo­seph P. Bart­rum (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Rus­sell, Os­borne & Com­pa­ny, 1833), page 100.

Music: Guide Mar­cus M. Wells, 1858 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Bar­trum or Wells (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Listen, peoples, while I tell
What an elder race befell;
Hearken to the solemn word,
Learn obedience to the Lord.

Israel, erst from bondage freed,
Chosen for a holy seed,
Blessed with an unerring code,
Worshipped one eter­nal God!

He their enemies subdued,
Hearts by boundless bounties wooed,
Fed them with the finest wheat,
Milk and honey, purest treat!

Oft as trouble raised its cry,
Still was their protector nigh;
From His secret place He came,
Swift to rescue, slow to blame.

Long His pity had endured,
Long their prosperous state secured;
Till, impatient of reproof,
Impious, they disowned His truth!

Then, abandoned to their lust,
Sold to selfishness and dust,
Soon a ’whelming tempest came;
Swept away their place and name.