Psalm 80

Words: Robert Pont, 1564, as in  The Scottish Psalter of 1635
Note: Patrick Millar, in "Four Centuries of Scottish Psalmody" says about Pont's versifications: "Some of his versions defy the efforts of even skilled choirs to fit them to their proper melodies."

 1  O Pastor of Israel! like sheep that dost lead
    The lineage of Joseph, advert and take heed;
    That sittest between the Cherubims bright,
    Appear now and show to us thy great might.

 2  Before thy folk Ephriam, Benjamin of old,
    And tribe of Manasseh, the flock of thy fold:
    Awake, once uprear thy presence most strong
    And come save us Lord, thou tariest too long.

 3  O great God eternal, our strength and our stay;
    Return and restore us without more delay:
    And let shine on us thy countenance clear,
    So shall we be safe, and shrink for no fear.

 4  O Lord God of armies, thy folk to consume
    How long at their prayers shalt thine anger fume?
 5  Thou feedest them with bread of weeping and woe:
    Tears largely to drink thou gave them also.

 6  Thou sets us the hatred and strife to sustain
    Of all our next neighbors our harms that have seen.
    And our foes right glad of our shame and wrong,
    With taunting us mock themselves all among.

 7  O Lord God of armies, our strength and our stay,
    Return and restore us without more delay.
    And let shine on us thy countenance clear,
    So shall we be safe, and shrink for no fear.

 8  A Vine out of Egypt thou broughtst with great care,
    Thou cast out the Gentiles and plantedst it sure.
 9  Thou cleansedst the ground, and tooted it so
    That all the whole land it filled to and fro.

10  With the shadow thereof the mountains were clad:
    And like the tall Cedars her branches did spread.
11  Her bought to the sea far forth did she stretch,
    And grasses to the flood Euphrates out-reach.

12  Why hast thou broke down then her hedges so fair?
    Till all that pass by her have plucked her full bare.
13  The Boar of the wood hath digged up at will,
    And beasts of the field their bellies they fill.

14  O great God of Armies, our strength and our stay,
    Return, we beseech thee, without more delay.
    Consider from Heaven, and see this sore case
    And visit this Vine which all men disgrace.

15  And visit the Vine-yard, and field where it stood;
    Which thy right hand planted, when it was but rude.
    And of the young Bud, some pity Lord take,
    Which thou for thy self most strong did once make.

16  Which now all down beaten, is burnt up with fire;
    As people which perish at thy frowning ire.
17  But yet on that man let thine hand be known:
    Which by thy right hand thou chose for thine own.

    On the son of man, Lord, thy might now declare:
    For thy self so potent, whom thou didst prepare.
18  We shall not turn back from thee then no more:
    Revive us thy Name so shall we implore.

19  O Lord God of Armies, our strength and our stay,
    Return, and restore us without more delay:
    And let thine on us thy countenance clear
    So shall we be safe, and shrink for no fear.

Page Copyright 2001, Music for the Church of God
e-mail us at: webmaster@cgmusic.com
Page last modified on: 07/29/2004