Scripture Verse

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Psalm 37:14–15

Introduction

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitts­burgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­ter­ian Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 99.

Music: Dar­wen Ed­ward Har­wood (1707–1787) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Har­wood (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

The wick­ed, watch­ing for their prey,
Desire the right­eous man to slay,
But God is on his side;
He will not leave him in their hands,
Nor count him guil­ty when he stands
In judg­ment to be tried.

Wait on the Lord and keep His way;
He will ex­alt thee, nor de­lay
To give the land to thee;
And when the wick­ed are cut off,
The wick­ed who against thee scoff,
Their judg­ment thou shalt see.

The wick­ed great in pow­er are seen,
Like spread­ing tree with fo­li­age green
That grows in na­tive ground.
I looked again, they were no more;
I sought the men so proud be­fore,
But they could not be found.

Mark thou the up­right day by day,
Behold the per­fect in his way:
His jour­ney ends in peace.
Destroyed at once shall re­bels be;
Cut off from all pos­te­ri­ty,
Their ve­ry name shall cease.

Salvation is from God alone,
Whom as their co­vert saints have known
When by sore trou­bles tried;
The Lord who helped in trou­bles past
Will save them to the ve­ry last,
For they in Him con­fide.