Scripture Verse

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Psalm 8:1–2

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psa­lms of David 1719, alt. The ho­san­na of the child­ren; or, in­fants, prais­ing God.

Music: Brook­field Tho­mas B. South­gate, 1855 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

Almighty Rul­er of the skies,
Wide thro’ the earth Thy name is spread;
And Thine eter­nal glo­ries rise
O’er all the hea­vens Thy hands have made.

To Thee the voic­es of the young
A mo­nu­ment of hon­or raise;
And babes, with un­in­struct­ed tongue
Declare the won­ders of Thy praise.

Thy pow­er as­sists their ten­der age
To bring proud re­bels to the ground,
To still the bold blas­phem­er’s rage,
And all their po­li­cies con­found.

The child­ren in Thy tem­ple throng
To see their great Re­deem­er’s face;
The Son of Da­vid is their song,
And young ho­san­nas fill the place.

The frown­ing scribes and an­gry priests
In vain their im­pi­ous ca­vils bring;
Revenge sits si­lent in their breasts,
While Jew­ish babes pro­claim their king.