Scripture Verse

The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. Psalm 135:6

Introduction

Words: James Mer­rick (1720–1769).

Music: Gal­i­lee (Hol­born), in The Pri­mi­tive Me­thod­ist Hym­nal Sup­ple­ment with Tunes, ed­it­ed by George Booth (Lon­don: Pri­mi­tive Me­thod­ist Pub­lish­ing House, 1912), num­ber 27 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Mer­rick (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

Lyrics

’Tis God, whose all disposing sway,
The heavens, the earth, the seas, obey;
Whose might through all extent extends,
Sinks through all depths, all height transcends.

From earth’s low margin to the skies
Who bids the pregnant vapors rise,
The lightning’s pallid sheet expands,
And glads with showers the furrowed lands.

Now from His storehouse built on high,
He gives th’imprisoned winds, to fly,
And, guided by His will, to sweep
The surface of the foaming deep.

By His resistless stroke assailed,
Her eldest born proud Egypt wailed;
Nor raged His sword on man alone;
Her flocks, her herds, its fury own.

New scenes of dread her land surprised,
When God the haughty chief chastised.
And each who lent th’assisting hand
To execute his stern command.

From Egypt’s desolated shore
Its course His vengeance onward bore
To distant realms by justice led;
And mightiest kings beneath it bled.

Thy name shall ever live, Thy name
O Lord, shall ceaseless honor claim;
Thy works, achieved in ages past,
To endless time remembered last.