S. A Song of Praise to God for his Merciful Judgments, Saving Benefits, and Victorious Salvation.

A Song of Praise to God for his Merciful Judgments, Saving Benefits, and Victorious Salvation. by Ralph Erskine
from Isaiah 25:1-12.

SECTION I.

God’s Merciful Judgments

Thou, O Jehovah, art my God,
Thee as mine own I claim;
I’ll therefore celebrate abroad
And praise thy glorious name: For thou hast wonders manifold
Perform’d in recent dress;
Shap’d to thy counsels, which of old
Are truth and faithfulness. In heaps and rubbish laid thou hast
Strong cities fenc’d afore;
And strangers’ palaces laid waste,
To be rebuilt no more.

Thy stoutest foes shall therefore yield
The glory thine to be;
And nations fierce resign the field,
And fear to cope with thee. For thou in straits a strength to poor
And needy ones hast been;
From blowing storm a refuge sure,
From scorching heat a screen. And that in times of greatest dread,
When furious tempests fall,
And blasts of tyrants fierce exceed
The storm that beats the wall. The ruffling noise of strangers rude,
Thou shalt abate with ease,
As in dry plots a shady cloud
Does scorching heat surcease: On tyrants proud thoul’t be aveng’d,
That are so dreadful now;
Their jovial trebles shall be chang’d
And doleful basses low.

SECTION II. His saving Benefits.

Lo! in this mount the Lord of hosts
A banquet shall prepare,
For all that tread on Zion’s coasts,
And people ev’ry-where.

He’ll with fat things and wines suffice,
Fat things of marrow full,
Wines well refin’d, from off the lees,
To glad and cheer the dull. And in this mount he’ll raze the vail,
The face o’er-cov’ring shade,
Of darkness cast o’er people all,
And o’er all nations spread.

He’ll swallow up in victory,
Grim death, the king of fears
From faces all the Lord most high
Will wipe away the tears;

What base contempt, and vile reproach,
Were on his people laid,
From off the earth he’ll quite dispatch
For so the Lord hath said.

SECTION III. His victorious Salvation. That day shall songs be utter’d thus,
"Behold this is our God;
We stay’d for him, and now he’ll us,
With his salvation load: This is the Lord Redeemer kind,
For whom we, long did wait;
We will be glad, with joyful mind,
In his salvation great." For here shall rest our conqu’ring God,
And Moab be o’erthrown;
The gates of hell shall down be trod,
The trump of triumph blow