O Lord of hosts, to Thee I cry,
Our fathers’ God, to Thee;
Let my petition reach Thine ear,
My prayer accepted be.
O God our shield, look Thou on us,
Reveal Thy­self in grace,
And let Thine own anointed one
Behold Thee face to face.

A single day within Thy courts,
Where I Thy beauty see,
Is better than a thousand days,
My God, apart from Thee.
A lowly station in Thy house
Were dearer to my heart
Than in the tents of wickedness
To claim the chiefest part.

A sun and shield is God, the Lord,
To lighten and defend;
The Lord to such as look to Him
Will grace and glo­ry send.
To those that walk in right­eous­ness
No good will He deny.
O Lord of hosts, how blest are they
Who on Thy grace rely!