Please give today to support Hymnary.org during one of only two fund drives we run each year. Each month, Hymnary serves more than 1 million users from around the globe, thanks to the generous support of people like you, and we are so grateful. 

Tax-deductible donations can be made securely online using this link.

Alternatively, you may write a check to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Search Results

Text Identifier:"^our_ears_have_heard_our_fathers_tell$"

Planning worship? Check out our sister site, ZeteoSearch.org, for 20+ additional resources related to your search.

Texts

text icon
Text authorities

Deus autibus

Author: Thomas Sternhold Appears in 2 hymnals First Line: Our ears have heard our fathers tell

Tunes

tune icon
Tune authorities
Page scansAudio

[Our ears have heard our fathers tell]

Appears in 13 hymnals Tune Key: C Major Incipit: 11716 55154 32211 Used With Text: Deus autibus

Instances

instance icon
Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals
TextPage scan

Our ears have heard Our fathers tell

Author: T. S. Hymnal: The Whole Book of Psalms #XLIV (1790) Lyrics: 1 Our ears have heard our fathers tell, and rev'rently record The wond'rous works, that thou hast done in ancient time, O Lord. 2 How thou didst drive the heathen out with a most powerful hand, Planting our fathers in their place, and gav'st to them their land. 3 They conquer'd not by their own sword the land wherein they dwell; But by thy hand, thy arm, and grace, because thou lov'dst them well. 4 Thou art my King, O God, who sav'st Jacob in sundry wise; Led with thy pow'r we threw down such as did against us rise. 5 I trusted not in bow nor sword, they could not save me sound; Thou kept'st us from our foes great rage, and didst them all confound. 6 And still we boast of thee our God, and praise thy holy name; Yet now thou go'st not with our host, but leavest us to shame. 7 Thou mad'st us flee before our foes, so were we over-trod; They did us rob, and spoil our goods, we were dispers'd abroad. 8 Thou hast us given to our foes, as sheep for to be slain; Amongst the heathen every where we scatter'd do remain. 9 Thy people thou hast sold like slaves, and as a thing of naught; For profit none thou hadst thereby, no gain at all was sought. 10 And to our neighbors thou hast made of us a laughing-stock; And those that round about us dwell, at us do grin and mock. The Second Part. 11 Thus we serve for no other use, but for a common talk; They mock, they scorn, they shake their heads, wherever they do walk. 12 With shame and great confusion I afflicted am full sore; Yea, so I blush, that all my face with red is covered o'er. 13 For why? We hear such sland'rous words, such false reports and lies, That death it is to see their wrongs, their threatnings, and their cries. 14 For all this, we forgot not thee, nor yet thy cov'nant brake; We turn'd not back our hearts from thee, nor did thy paths forsake, 15 Yet thou hast trod us down to dust, where dens of dragons be, And cover'd us with shade of death, and great adversity. 16 If we God's Name forgotten have, and help of idols sought, Shall he not search and find it out? for he doth know our thought. 17 But 'tis for thy name's sake, O Lord, we always are slain thus, As sheep into the shambles sent, ev'n so they deal with us. 18 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou? awake, for ever leave us not; Why hidest thou thy countenance? our thrall thou hast forgot. 19 Ev'n to the dust our soul is brought, our troubles so increase: Our belly cleaveth to the ground, our grief no time doth cease; 20 Rise up therefore for our defence, and help us, Lord, at need: We, for thy goodness, thee beseech, to rescue us with speed. Scripture: Psalm 44 Languages: English
TextPage scanAudio

Deus autibus

Author: T. S. Hymnal: The Whole Booke of Psalmes #22b (1640) First Line: Our eares have heard our fathers tell Lyrics: 1 Our eares have heard our fathers tell, and reverently record, The wondrous works that thou hast done in alder time, O Lord. 2 How thou didst cast the Gentiles out and stroldst them with strong hand: Planting our fathers in their place, and gav'st to them their land, 3 They conquered not by sword nor strength the land of thy behest: But by thy hand, thy arm, and grace, because thou lov'dst them best. 4 Thou art my King, O God who holp Jacob in sundry wise: 5 Led with thy power, we threw down such as did against us rise. 6 I trusted not in bow nor sword, they could not save me sound: 7 Thou keptst us from our enemies rage, and didst our foes confound. 8 And still we boast of thee our God, and praise thy holy Name: 9 Yet now thou go'st not with our host, but leavest us to shame. 10 Thou mad'st us flie before our foes, and so were over-trod; Our enemies rob'd, and spoil'd our goods we were sperst abroad. 11 Thou hast us given to our foes, as sheep for to be slaine: Amongst the heathen every where scattered we do remain. 12 Thy people thou hast sold like slaves, and as a thing of nought: For profit none thou hadst thereby, no gaine at all was sought. 13 And to our neighbours thou hast made of us a laughing stock: And those that round about us dwell, at us do grin and mock. The second Part. 14 Thus we serve for no other use, but for a common talk: They mock, they scorn, they nod their heads where ere they go or walk. 15 I am asham'd continually to heare these wicked men: Yea so I blush, that all my face with red is covered then. 16 For why? we heare such slanderous words, such false reports and lies; That death it is to see their wrongs, their threatnings, and their cries. 17 For all this we forgot not thee, nor yet thy covenant brake: 18 We turn not back our hearts from thee, nor yet thy paths forsake. 19 Yet thou hast trod us down to dust, where dens of dragons be: And covered us with shade of death, and great adversity. 20 If we had our Gods name forgot, and help of Idols sought, 21 Would not God then have tri'd this out for he doth know our thought? 22 Nay, nay, for thy Names sake O Lord alwayes are we slaine thus: As sheep into the shambles sent, right so they deale with us. 23 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou? awake, and leave us not for all: 24 Why hidest thou thy countenance, and dost forget our thrall. 25 For down to dust our soul is brought and we now at last call: Our belly like as it wer gl'd, unto the ground cleaves fast. 26 Rise up therefore for our defence, and help us (Lord) at need: We thee beseech for thy goodnesse, to rescue us with speed. Scripture: Psalm 44 Languages: English Tune Title: [Our ears have heard our fathers tell]

People

person icon
Authors, composers, editors, etc.

Thomas Sternhold

1449 - 1549 Person Name: T. S. Author of "Deus autibus" in The Whole Booke of Psalmes Thomas Sternhold was Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII and Edward VI. With Hopkins, he produced the first English version of the Psalms before alluded to. He completed fifty-one; Hopkins and others composed the remainder. He died in 1549. Thirty-seven of his psalms were edited and published after his death, by his friend Hopkins. The work is entitled "All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, late Groome of the King's Majestye's Robes, did in his Lyfetime drawe into Englyshe Metre." Of the version annexed to the Prayer Book, Montgomery says: "The merit of faithful adherence to the original has been claimed for this version, and need not to be denied, but it is the resemblance which the dead bear to the living." Wood, in his "Athenae Oxonlenses" (1691, vol. I, p. 62), has the following account of the origin of Sternhold's psalms: "Being a most zealous reformer, and a very strict liver, he became so scandalized at the amorous and obscene songs used in the Court, that he, forsooth, turned into English metre fifty-one of David's psalms, and caused musical notes to be set to them, thinking thereby that the courtiers would sing them instead of their sonnets; but they did not, some few excepted. However, the poetry and music being admirable, and the best that was made and composed in these times, they were thought fit to be sung in all parochial churches." Of Sternhold and Hopkins, old Fuller says: "They were men whose piety was better than their poetry, and they had drunk more of Jordan than of Helicon." Sternhold and Hopkins may be taken as the representatives of the strong tendency to versify Scripture that came with the Reformation into England--a work men eagerly entered on without the talent requisite for its successful accomplishment. The tendency went so far, that even the "Acts of the Apostles" was put into rhyme, and set to music by Dr. Christopher Tye. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.