Scripture Verse

We hung our harps upon the willows. Psalm 137:2

Introduction

portrait
Augustus M. Toplady
(1740–1778)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Au­gus­tus M. Top­la­dy, in the Gos­pel Ma­ga­zine, Feb­ru­ary 1772.

Music: Ol­mutz, ar­ranged from a Gre­go­ri­an chant by Lo­well Ma­son, 1824 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

illustration
Women of Jerusalem
Held Captive in Babylon
Charles Landelle (1812–1908)

Lyrics

Your harps, ye trem­bling saints,
Down from the wil­lows take;
Loud to the praise of love di­vine
Bid ev­ery string awake.

Though in a for­eign land
We are not far from home,
And near­er to our house ab­ove
We ev­ery mo­ment come.

His grace will to the end
Stronger and bright­er shine;
Nor pre­sent things nor things to come
Shall quench the spark di­vine.

When we in dark­ness walk,
Nor feel the heav­en­ly flame,
Then is the time to trust our God,
And rest up­on His name.

Soon shall our doubts and fears
Subside at His con­trol;
His lov­ing­kind­ness shall break through
The mid­night of the soul.

Blest is the man, O Lord!
That stays him­self on Thee;
Who wait for Thy sal­va­tion, Lord!
Shall thy sal­va­tion see.