Scripture Verse

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Psalm 2:1

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. Christ’s death, re­rsur­rec­tion and as­cen­sion.

Music: Al­stone Chris­to­pher E. Will­ing, in the Ap­pen­dix to Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Will­ing (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Why did the Jews pro­claim their rage?
The Ro­mans why their swords em­ploy?
Against the Lord their pow­ers en­gage,
His dear Anoint­ed to de­stroy?

Come, let us break His bands, they say;
This man shall ne­ver give us laws:
And thus they cast His yoke away,
And nailed the Mon­arch to the cross.

But God who high in glo­ry reigns,
Laughs at their pride, their rage con­trols;
He’ll vex their hearts with in­ward pains,
And speak in thun­der to their souls.

I will main­tain the King I made
On Zion’s ev­er­last­ing hill;
My hand shall bring Him from the dead,
And He shall stand your so­ver­eign still.

His won­drous ris­ing from the earth
Makes His eter­nal God­head known;
The Lord de­clares His heav’n­ly birth—
“This day I have be­got My Son.

Ascend, My Son, to My right hand,
There Thou shalt ask, and I be­stow,
The ut­most bounds of hea­then lands;
To Thee the north­ern isles shall bow.

But na­tions that re­sist His grace
Shall fall be­neath His iron stroke;
His rod shall crush His foes with ease,
As pot­ters’ earth­en work is broke.

Now, ye that sit on earth­ly thrones,
Be wise, and serve the Lord, the Lamb;
Now at His feet sub­mit your crowns,
Rejoice and trem­ble at His name.

With hum­ble love address the Son,
Lest He grow an­gry, and ye die;
His wrath will burn to worlds un­known,
If ye pro­voke His jea­lou­sy.

His storms shall drive you quick to hell;
He is a God, and ye but dust;
Happy the souls that know Him well,
And make His grace their on­ly trust.