Scripture Verse

If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart. Psalm 44:20–21

Introduction

portrait
John B. Herbert (1852–1927)

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 123.

Music: Mag­nus John B. Her­bert, 1901 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

If we have for­got­ten the name of our God,
Or unto an id­ol our hands spread abroad,
Shall not the Al­migh­ty un­cov­er this sin?
He knows all our hearts and the sec­rets with­in.

Refrain

Rise, help, and re­deem us: Thy merc­y we trust;
Rise, help, and re­deem us: Thy mer­cy we trust.

We all the day long for Thy sake are con­sumed,
Defeated and help­less, to death we are doomed;
Then why dost Thou tar­ry? Je­ho­vah, awake;
Nor spurn us for­ev­er; arise for our sake.

Refrain

O why art Thou hid­ing the light of Thy face,
Forgetting our bur­den of grief and dis­grace?
Our soul is bowed down, yea, we cleave to the dust;
Rise, help and re­deem us,
Thy mer­cy we trust.

Refrain