Scripture Verse

Hear the right, O Lord. Psalm 17:1

Introduction

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 31.

Music: Long­fel­low Fred­er­ic F. Bull­ard (1864–1904) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten,

portrait
Frederic F. Bullard (1864–1904)

Lyrics

Lord, hear the right, regard my cry,
My prayer from lips sincere,
Send Thine approval from on high,
My right­eous­ness make clear.
Thou in the night my heart hast tried,
Nor found it turned from Thee aside.

With steadfast courage I design
No wrong to speak or do;
Thy path of life I choose for mine
And walk with purpose true.
For help, O God, I cry to Thee,
Assured that Thou wilt answer me.

O Thou that ever savest those
Whose trust on Thee is stayed,
Preserving them from all their foes
By Thine al­migh­ty aid,
Let me Thy lovingkindness see,
Thy wondrous mercy, full and free.

O guard me well as one would guard
The apple of the eye;
While deadly foes are pressing hard,
To Thee, to Thee I cry;
Do Thou my rest and refuge be,
O let Thy wings o’ershadow me.

Mine enemy, grown strong in pride,
Would take my life away,
A lion lurking by my side,
Most greedy for his prey.
Confront and cast him down, O Lord,
From evil save me by Thy sword.

Defend me from the men of pride,
Whose portion is below,
Who, with life’s treasures satisfied,
No better portion know;
They, with earth’s joys and wealth content,
Must leave them all when life is spent.

When I in right­eous­ness at last
Thy glo­ri­ous face shall see,
When all the weary night is past,
And I awake with Thee
To view the glories that abide,
Then, then I shall be satisfied.