Scripture Verse

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against Him, and hath prospered? Job 9:4

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 26: The im­pos­si­bil­i­ty of pros­per­ing while we hard­en our­selves against God.

Music: Ar­i­zo­na Ro­bert H. Earn­shaw, in The Book of Praise (To­ron­to, On­tar­io: Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty Press, 1918) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

illustration
Egyptian Temple
Marc-Charles-Gabriel Gleyre, 1840

Lyrics

The great Jehovah! Who shall dare
With Him attempt unequal war?
What heart of steel shall dare t’oppose,
And league among His hardened foes?

At His command the lightnings dart,
And swift transfix the rebel heart;
Earth trembles at His look, and cleaves,
And legions sink in living graves.

Where are the haughty monarchs now,
Who scorned His word with lowering brow?
Where are the trophies of their reigns?
Or where the ruin’s last remains?

See Pharaoh sinking in the tide!
See Babel’s tyrant, mad with pride,
Graze with the beasts! Hear Herod roar,
While worms his deity devour!

See, from the turrets of the skies,
Tall cherubs sink, no more to rise;
And trace their rank on thrones of light,
By heavier chains, and darker night.

Great God! and shall this soul of mine
Presume to challenge wrath divine?
Trembling I seek Thy mercy-seat,
And lay my weapons at Thy feet.