Scripture Verse

Arise, O God, judge the earth. Psalm 82:8

Introduction

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to King Alfred (849–899) (O stell­i­fe­ri con­di­tor or­bis). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Mar­tin F. Tup­per, King Alf­red’s Po­ems, 1850, page 18. Re-me­tered by Ro­bert M. Moor­som, Ren­der­ings of Church Hymns, 1901, page 68.

Music: Charn­wood Charles E. Mo­ber­ly (1820–1893) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a good pho­to of Mo­ber­ly (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Martin F. Tupper
1810–1889
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

O God, our maker, throned on high,
The earth is Thine, and Thine the sky,
Th’adoring sun obeys Thy will,
And countless stars Thy laws fulfill.

The lengthening light of summer day,
The winter frost, Thy power display,
Nature proclaims Thy sovereign skill;
Man, and man only, spurns Thy will.

The wicked sit on earth’s high seat,
And tread the holy ’neath their feet;
Good goes so crookedly as­tray,
Bright deeds lie hidden oft away.

Great God! Who seest from above,
Regard us with Thy pitying love,
Perplexed by doubts, with toil and strife,
We ask more light—we long for life.