Scripture Verse

Lord, Thou hast been favorable unto Thy land: Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, Thou hast covered all their sin…Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath: Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness of Thine anger. Psalm 85:1–3

Introduction

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 231.

Music: Re­dal Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry (1816–1868) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William B. Bradbury (1816–1868)

Lyrics

Lord, Thou hast favor shown Thy land,
Restored again thy captive band;
Thy people’s sins Thou pardoned hast,
And all their guilt has covered o’er,
Removed from them Thy anger sore,
All Thy fierce wrath behind Thee cast.

In grace Thy people, Lord, return,
No longer let Thy anger burn;
Wilt Thou for­ev­er angry be?
Through ages shall Thy wrath survive?
Wilt Thou not us again revive,
That so we may rejoice in Thee?

O Lord, to us Thy mercy show,
And Thy sal­va­tion now bestow;
We wait to hear what God will say;
Peace to His people He will speak,
And to His saints, but let them seek
No more in folly’s path to stray.