Text:A prayer to God that he would help his church

X. A prayer to God that he would help his church

1 Lord, bring thy church out of distress,
Redeem her from the wilderness,
Save her from all her troubles, Lord,
And saving health to her afford.

2 How long shall thy poor mourning bride
Be tost and tempted ev'ry side,
And seek in vain for kind relief,
While she's oppress'd and fill'd with grief?

3 Her foes reproach her constantly,
While in derision she doth lie:
"Where is your God (they now do say)
"In whom you boasted all the day?

4 So Zion mourns her widow'd state;
Behold, says she, my sorrow's great!
For he that should my helper be,
My comforter, is far from me!

5 Behold, O Lord, the rage of those
That do thy glorious cause oppose;
That make their brags of us, and say,
"Ha, how we love to see this day!"

6 What wilt thou do for thy great name?
Behold, O Lord, our grief and shame,
And send us succour speedily,
Lest we should faint, despair, and die:

7 O Lord, what will the people say,
If thou thy coming dost delay?
They'll mock and say "Behold they have
"Trusted in God, who will not save."

8 The plowers plow'd upon my back,
And say thy promise Lord, is slack;
And so they do blaspheme thy name,
And sport themselves with sin and shame.

9 Lord while these things we do behold,
We're fill'd with grief that can't be told.
'Tis time for thee to work, for they
Make void thy law, Lord, ev'ry day.

10 Return, and let thy children know
That thou regardest their great wo,
And let the foes of Zion see
Thou sav'st the souls that trust in thee.

Text Information
First Line: Lord, bring thy church out of distress
Title: A prayer to God that he would help his church
Language: English
Publication Date: 1782
Tune Information
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