To God my loud complaints I made

To God my loud complaints I made

Adapter: Francis Hopkinson
Tune: GENEVAN 77
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

1 To God my loud Complaints I made,
And he vouchsaf'd his powerful Aid;
He to my humble Pray'r.
Did lend a gracious Ear.
All Night my fest'ring Wound did ragem,
No Med'cine could the Pain assuage:
My Soul indulg'd her Grief,
Nor would accept Relief.

2 I thought on God, but then distress'd,
I found my Spirits quite oppress'd;
The more i did complain,
The more encreas'd my Pain;
My Grief is swell'd to such a Height,
That thro' each tedious Watch of Night,
Mine Eyes are kept awake;
I sigh, but cannot speak.

3 I call'd to Mind those ancient Days,
When I, exalted, sung thy Praise;
Those Years so much renown'd;
With signal Favours crown'd;
By Night I recollect the Song
That to my Trimphs did belong,
And once such Joy impart,
Then thus consult my Heart.

4 "Hath GOD withdrawn His Favour quite,
"Is Mercy lost in endless Night?
"Will he his promis'd Love
"For evermore remove?"
I said My Weakness doth supply
These Fears, but in the LORD most high
I shall securely stand,
Protected by his Hand.

5 His Works of old I will relate,
On them my Heart shall meditate;
My Tongue shall them recite,
The Wonders of his Might.
Thy Promise, LORD, is ever sure,
Thy Ways are holy, just, and pure,
And deep thy Counsels are,
Who can with thee compare?

6 Thou art the LORD, that dost display
Amazing Wonders every Day,
And all the World shall own,
That thou art GOD alone;
And Jacob's Seed and Joseph's Line,
Have known thy Strength and Pow'r divine,
Who didst thy Arm extend,
And them with Might defend.

7 When thee, O GOD, the Waters saw,
The troubled Deep was struck with Awe,
The frigten'd Billows shrunk,
And in their Channels sunk:
The Clouds pour'd down, while rending Skies,
Fill'd Earth and Heav'n with dread Surprize,
And forth thine Arrows came,
Wing'd with avenging Flame

8 Broad Sheets of livid Blaze appear;
Thy Thunders roll, Earth shakes with Fear,
Thy Paths in Waters lie;
Nor can thy Steps descry:
Thy People from hard Bondage freed,
Thou didst by skillful Moses lead,
And Aaron's sacred Hand,
Safe thro' a desart Land.


Source: The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre...for the use of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of the city of New York #LXXVII

Adapter: Francis Hopkinson

Francis Hopkinson; grad. College of Philadelphia with master’s degree; studied law and passed Pa. bar; opened conveyancer’s office in Philadelphia; musical and literary talent; prolific writer who frequently used pen name, A. B. LOC Name Authority Files Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: To God my loud complaints I made
Adapter: Francis Hopkinson
Source: Tate and Brady's New Version, "To God I cried, who to my Help"
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

GENEVAN 77

GENEVAN 77 was first published in the 1551 edition of the Genevan Psalter as a setting for Psalm 86. It was set to Psalm 77 in the 1562 edition. Claude Goudimel (PHH 6) composed the harmonization in 1564. GENEVAN 77's many repeated phrases make it memorable; it is in Hypo-Dorian mode. The plaintive…

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The Psalms of David #LXXVII

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