Scripture Verse

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Psalm 124:2–3

Introduction

portrait
H. A. César Malan (1787–1864)

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 352.

Music: Boyn­ton H. A. Cé­sar Ma­lan (1787–1864) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Had not the Lord been Is­ra­el’s help
When ang­ry foes as­sailed,
Had not the Lord been on our side,
Our right­eous cause had failed.

Without His help the wa­ters proud
Had ov­er­whelmed our soul,
But, praised be God, the waves of wrath
Are un­der His con­trol.

We are es­caped, as from the snare,
A bird in safe­ty flies;
The snare is brok­en and our souls
In li­ber­ty arise.

Our help is in the glo­ri­ous name,
The name of match­less worth,
Of Him to whom all pow­er be­longs,
The Lord of Hea­ven and earth.