Scripture Verse

The captives shall soon be released; they shall not die and go down into the pit, nor shall they want for bread. For I am the Lord, your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts by name. Isaiah 51:14–15

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
1702–1751

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 105: God’s cap­tives re­leased; ap­plied to spir­it­u­al de­liv­er­anc­es.

Music: Fes­tal Song Will­iam H. Wal­ter, in the Epis­co­pal Hym­nal with Tunes Old and New, by John I. Tuck­er, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

Captives of Israel, hear,
Who now as exiles mourn;
See your almighty God appear
To hasten your return.

Jehovah is His name;
Lord of celestial hosts;
Let Heav’n that saving power proclaim
In which His Israel trusts.

Tho’ helpless now ye lie,
As in a dungeon thrown,
When parched with painful thirst ye cry,
And when your bread is gone,

Deliverance comes apace;
Ye shall not there expire;
Prepare to sing redeeming grace
With His triumphant choir.

He smote the raging sea
’Midst its tumultuous roar,
And paved His chosen troops a way
Safe to its distant shore.

In Him let Israel hope,
At whose supreme command
Graves yield their breathless captives up,
And seas become dry land.