Scripture Verse

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Psalm 110:1–2

Introduction

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Nahum Tate (1652–1715)

Words: Na­hum Tate & Ni­cho­las Bra­dy, 1696.

Music: Ral­eigh (Gi­lbert) Wal­ter B. Gil­bert, in the Hym­nal and Can­ticles of the Pro­test­ant Epis­co­pal Church (New York: E. P. Dut­ton, 1885), num­ber 6 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Walter B. Gilbert (1829–1910)

Lyrics

The Lord un­to my Lord thus spake:
Till I Thy foes Thy foot­stool make,
Sit Thou in state at My right hand;
Supreme in Zi­on Thou shalt be,
And all Thy proud op­pos­ers see
Subjected to Thy just com­mand.

Thee, in Thy pow­er’s tri­um­phant day,
The will­ing peo­ple shall ob­ey;
And, when Thy ris­ing beams they view,
Shall all (re­deemed from er­ror’s night)
Appear more nu­mer­ous and bright
Than crys­tal drops of morn­ing dew.

The Lord hath sworn, nor sworn in vain,
That, like Mel­chi­ze­dek’s, Thy reign
And priest­hood shall no pe­ri­od see;
Anointed Prince! Thou, bend­ing low,
Shalt drink where dark­est tor­rents flow,
Then raise Thy head in vic­to­ry!