Scripture Verse

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Psalm 2:1–4

Introduction

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William Bradbury
(1816–1868)

Words: Ro­bert Grant (1780–1838). Ap­peared in Sac­red Po­ems, pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly by his bro­ther, Lord Glen­elg, in 1839.

Music: Ful­ton (Brad­bu­ry) Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry, in Songs for the Sanc­tu­ary, ed­it­ed by Charles S. Rob­in­son (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1868), page 236 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Robert Grant (1780–1838)
Wikimedia Commons

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Lyrics

Wherefore do the na­tions wage
War against the King of kings?
Whence the people’s mad­den­ing rage,
Fraught with vain im­ag­in­ings?

Haughty chiefs and rul­ers proud
Forth in band­ed fu­ry run,
Braving, with de­fi­ance loud,
God and His an­oint­ed Son.

Let us break their bonds in twain!
Let us cast their cords away!

But the High­est with dis­dain
Sees and mocks their vain ar­ray.

High on Zion I pre­pare
(Thus He speaks) “a re­gal throne;
Thou, My Prince, My chos­en heir,
Rise to claim it as Thine own!

“Son of God, with God the same,
Enter Thine im­per­ial dome!
Lo! the shak­ing heav’ns pro­claim,
Mightiest Lord, Thy king­dom come.

Pomp or state dost Thou de­mand?
In Thy Fa­ther’s glo­ry shine!
Dost Thou ask for high co­mmand?
Lo! the uni­verse is Thine!

Ye who spurn His right­eous sway,
Yet, ah yet, He spares your breath:
Yet His hand, av­erse to slay,
Balances the bolt of death.

Ere that dread­ful bolt des­cends,
Haste be­fore His feet to fall,
Kiss the scep­ter He ex­tends,
And ad­ore Him, Lord of all!